Ricerc@Sapienza

A new era of pollution requires an important focus on the conservation of archaeological sites and monuments. In the last years great efforts were required to develop various sensors for different tasks. The fiber Bragg grating (FBG) was one of the most studied thanks to the multitude of applications and the surprising performances. An original fiber optic sensor that combines the fiber Bragg gratings with a pH-responsive polymer coating for monitoring the pH of the rains on critical and prestigious monuments is proposed.

The immobilization procedure is one of the key factors affecting the electron transfer based biosensors performance. It must assure both the enzyme retention activity and an efficient communication between the redox center of the enzyme and the electrode surface. In this regard, hydrogels are attractive materials due to their three-dimensional hydrophilic networks and their high-water concentration, promoting the biomolecule long-term stability and providing a suitable scaffold for trapping.

Different approaches have investigated the effects of different extracellular matrices (ECMs) and three-dimensional (3D) culture on islet function, showing encouraging results. Ideally, the proper scaffold should mimic the biochemical composition of the native tissue as it drives numerous signaling pathways involved in tissue homeostasis and functionality. Tissue-derived decellularized biomaterials can preserve the ECM composition of the native tissue making it an ideal scaffold for 3D tissue engineering applications.