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, [Br18] most leading to surgical resection. Between 3-30% 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% [Ch22a]. 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: 1. identification of suitable biomarkers, 2. realization of a magnetic nanoparticle-based implant with a biomarker-concentration specific response, 3. realization of a readout system based on magnetic-field detection, and 4. 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
	PD Dr. Julius Pochhammer Medicine Clinic of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery	Associated researcher
	M.Sc. Rahil Radfar Materials Science Bioinspired Materials and Biosensor Technologies	Doctoral researcher

Role within the Collaborative Research Centre

This project will join focus groups F4 - Magneto­electric Sensors for exchange on the latest developments of sensors as well as the group F6 - Biomedical Applications for exchange with the other application projects. This project will support the dissemination activities in SOP and the doctoral researchers will be active in the IRTG. The following specific collaborations are planned:

Project-related Publications