HyPhoX founder Dr. Martin Paul (right) and the spin-off's scientific advisor, Dr. Michael G. Weller from BAM (left) present a new wafer for biosensor development.
Source: Mareike Rammelt / TH Wildau
Toxic substances, viruses, and other microorganisms are a danger to humans and the environment. A team of founders from the Leibniz Institute for Innovative Microelectronics (IHP) and the Technical University of Wildau is developing an innovative and cost-effective analysis tool for the rapid detection of these substances with the support of the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM). It delivers results within a few minutes and can be used in food analysis, medical technology, and environmental monitoring.
Contaminations that endanger health occur repeatedly in the environment or the food sector - from salmonella in mayonnaise and meat to legionella in drinking water. To contain the spread of such contaminants and minimize their impact, rapid detection is required. However, laboratory tests are usually time-consuming and cost-intensive: from the time a sample is taken and transported to a specialized laboratory until the result is available, several days usually pass. In an emergency, valuable time is lost to warn the population.
The founding team of HyPhoX has set out to change that. The young scientists, who are conducting research at BAM, IHP, and TH Wildau, have developed an innovative biochip. It integrates optical, electrical, and microfluidic components on just one square millimeter. Thanks to the lab-on-a-chip technology, a small analysis laboratory can be accommodated in a tiny space. Even the smallest amounts of sample fluids can be analyzed directly on-site and in real-time.
"The innovative feature about our sensor is that we combine optical, electrical, and biochemical analytics on one chip, and that in a handy, portable device," says Martin Paul, co-founder of HyPhoX, who did his doctorate at BAM.
Now the team wants to bring the innovative sensor to market maturity. Over the next year and a half, they will receive support from BAM, IHP, and TH Wildau. "Technology transfer through spin-offs is one of BAM's core tasks," emphasizes Dr. Michael G. Weller, head of the Protein Analysis department at BAM. "That's why we are pleased to provide the young start-up with significant support through BAM's expertise and use of our infrastructure in the fields of immunoassay and biosensor development."
HyPhoX is funded by the EXIST funding program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK), which is aimed at scientists from non-university research institutions who want to realize a business idea for an innovative product.