Disposable flexible biosensor to detect Leptospiral Sphingomyelinase in urine samples

• Grant number: 25/12102-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: December 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso
• Grantee: Nathalia Oezau Gomes
• Supervisor: Fabiana Arduini
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/08858-6 - Development of miniaturized and disposable (bio)sensors for monitoring zoonotic diseases, BP.PD

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a significant threat to global public health and remains a neglected tropical infection, with over one million new cases reported annually. Early diagnosis and clinical symptoms which commonly overlap with other febrile illnesses are the major shortcomings in the available gold standard methods. Molecular tests based on reliable biomarkers such as Leptospiral sphingomyelinase (Sph2) offer a promising alternative enhancing diagnostic accuracy, enabling timely therapeutic interventions, and reducing the risk of several complications and mortality. Thus, it is crucial to develop affordable, accessible, non-invasive, point-of-care tests capable of detecting early stages of Leptospirosis disease. Herein, we propose a miniaturized, flexible, and portable biosensor for detecting leptospiral sphingomyelinase in urine samples. The biodevice employs a bi-enzymatic recognition system in which alkaline phosphatase and choline oxidase are co-immobilized on the surface of screen-printed carbon electrodes. In the detection process, sphingomyelinase will hydrolyze sphingomyelin into phosphocholine in solution, which subsequently reacts with the other two enzymes immobilized at working electrode surface, producing a measurable electrochemical signal. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be applied to evaluate the environmental impact and determine key sustainability metrics associated with materials and processes, ensuring alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations. Thus, the biosensor offers a promising solution to improve early diagnosis of leptospirosis, clinical management, and disease surveillance in resource-limited settings (AU)