Untapping multiparametric 2D luminescence sensing through MACHine LEarning and Spectral Sorting

Cellular organisms are complex machines whose health and functioning are dictated by parameters including temperature, oxygen concentration, and pH.

Luminescence nanosensing is a technology that promises all the features required to reliably monitor these parameters at the intracellular level: minimal invasiveness, remote working principle, and submicrometric spatial resolution.

These features are ensured by the use of sub-micrometric sensors (particles) whose luminescence is sensitive to changes in the parameters to be sensed.

Yet, despite the hype about luminescence nanosensing, its reliability in the study of cells is limited by interparticle variability in optical properties and sensing performance, simultaneous response to several parameters (cross-sensitivity), and lack of a measurement technology that enables fast 2D mapping of multiple parameters with sub-second temporal resolution.

MAtCHLESS tackles heads on these limitations to develop a reliable luminescence sensing technology for multiparameteric sensing in cell studies.

This project entails: design of a novel family of composite submicrometric luminescent sensors, elimination of interparticle fluctuations in optical properties using a spectral sorting strategy, introduction of the paradigm shift of making cross-sensitivity a desirable feature via machine learning, and use of a novel optical technology to build a setup for 2D mapping of multiple parameters with high temporal and spatial resolution.

MAtCHLESS will test the reliability of the sensing approach in mammalian cell lines and extremophiles microorganisms that can withstand extreme conditions of, e.g., temperature, oxygen concentration, and pH.

These investigations will show the potential of the developed technology to monitor both slight and extreme changes in biological parameters, towards a deeper understanding of, e.g., how cancer can be more effectively treated, as well as how Life evolved on Earth and can be adapted beyond our planet.