Project B12 - Bioinspired Nanocomposites for Early Detection of Complications in Gastrointestinal Surgery
Gastrointestinal tract procedures are among the most common operations in visceral surgery. Around 0.6 and 1.8 million esophageal and colorectal cancer cases were estimated worldwide in 2018, respectively, most leading to surgical resection. Between 3 to 30 percent of patients experience leakages in the connecting seam. The development of such anastomotic leakages carries the risk of sepsis, subsequent operations, prolonged hospitalization, and increased mortality of up to 16 percent. The numbers are even higher in operations of the esophagus. Diagnosis of anastomotic leakages at the earliest timepoint is of importance to improve perioperative morbidity and mortality of our patients and do avoid further surgery. The aim of the project is to develop an in vivo diagnostic implant to detect the biomarkers involved relying on magnetically labeled synthetic receptors combined with a wireless magnetic-field readout system based on magnetoelectric sensors. The project has four parts:
- identification of suitable biomarkers,
- realization of a magnetic nanoparticle-based implant with a biomarker-concentration specific response,
- realization of a readout system based on magnetic-field detection, and
- validation of the approach on a cell assay.
The final is to continuously monitor for inflammation after surgery by detecting elevated levels of inflammation biomarkers for early detection of anastomotic leakages.
Involved Researchers
| Person | Role | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Prof. Dr. Zeynep Altintas Materials Science Bioinspired Materials and Biosensor Technologies |
Project lead |
 |
Dr. Jan-Paul Gundlach Medicine Clinic of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery |
Project lead |
 |
Prof. Dr. Martina Gerken Engineering Integrated Systems and Photonics |
Project lead |
 |
M.Sc. Rahil Radfar Materials Science Bioinspired Materials and Biosensor Technologies |
Doctoral researcher |
Role within the Collaborative Research Centre
Close cooperation is planned with the following partners:
| Collaborations | |
|---|---|
| A8 (Modelling of Magnetoelectric Sensors) | The sensor models that are investigated in A8, will be incorporated in the forward. A first sensor model version available in 2021 will be replaced with extended versions in 2023. |
| B1, Z2 | B10 will benefit from B1 adapting system front-ends and small sensor arrays to the requirements of B10. In turn, we will communicate test results back to B1 to facilitate the development of suit- able measurement systems after transfer of mature sub-systems to Z2. |
| B2, B9 | The project will use the same real-time framework as B2 and B9. Thus, all extensions made in either one of the projects will benefit the other and immediately speed up development. |
| Z1 (MEMS Magnetoelectric Sensor Fabrication) | This project is closely interlinked with the ME sensor projects, especially those that allow for low frequency (5 to 30 Hz) measurements. |
