Development of biosensors based on semiconductor nanowires and applications to adhesion studies on Xylella fastidiosa

• Grant number: 12/13896-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Alonso Cotta
• Grantee: Prasana Kumar Sahoo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In this project, we intend to integrate the research carried out in two different areas to create a platform for integration in nanobiotechnology. First, the historically most active research area from our group, semiconductor growth, is now directed to the synthesis of group III-V semiconductor nanowires. The second area refers to a more general problem in biology, the formation of bacterial biofilms; we have studied the adhesion and biofilm development of Xylella fastidiosa using tools commonly applied in nanoscience. The integration of these two lines of research may occur depending on the availability of biomolecules for the manufacturing of sensing devices based on nanowires. We have recently shown that large area biosensors based on InP present higher sensitivity than similar devices based on Si. In addition, we intend to extend the optical characterization of these nano-objects and devices based on them, as a function of the synthesis and surface functionalization procedures used. We will thus be able to address topics of interest for the understanding of adhesion mechanisms of Xylella fastidiosa.