Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Lead: Dr Viktoriya Pyeshkova
Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IMBG) was founded in 1973. IMBG is one of the leading institutions in life science research and biotechnology in Ukraine, with high level of research potential, excellent results of investigations and impact of research on industrial applications. Presently its staff is comprised of 300 employees, 28 Doctors of Sciences (Dr.Sc) and 106 Doctors of Philosophy (PhD), 1 Member of NASU and 7 Corresponding Members of NASU. The IMBG research activity is concentrated on the modern trends of sensing applications, biotechnology, molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, computational modeling and design.
Over 5562 scientific articles were published by the scientists of the Institute, 1425 of these articles were published in renowned foreign journals including Science, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Cell and others. Since the Institute was founded, its employees obtained 280 patents. The Institute publishes four scientific journals. IMBG created the first web portal in Ukraine on bioinformatics, genomics, structural biology, and molecular medicine www.bioua.org.ua.
IMBG has actively participated in several National and International programs. The Institute is very active in international cooperation. IMBG scientists have collaborated successfully with international partners from about 31 countries in total and has been involved in many FP7 and Horizon 2020 projects
IMBG has also been awarded other international grants including CNRS, NATO, STCU, SCOPES, EC FP, NATO, INCO-COPERNICUS, Wellcome Trust and others.
The Department of Biomolecular Electronics of IMBG has been actively working on biosensors development since 1991. The Department is focused on the development of electrochemical (amperometric, potentiometric, ISFET, impedimetric, conductometric) and optical (Surface Plasmon Resonance) chemo/biosensors for medical diagnosis and for monitoring of environmental and food contamination. Our interdisciplinary research team consists of physicists, chemists, biotechnologists and other specialists. The permanent staff of the department include 14 researchers, 5 engineers and technicians. In addition, 9 PhD students and 15 graduate students are working in the department. Our team develops biosensors for determination of heavy metal ions, alkaloids, pesticides mycotoxins, formaldehyde, protein kinase, urea and creatinine, some neurotransmitters, carbohydrates, glycerol, lactate and more depending on the measurement needs. The team has acquired strong expertise in immobilization of DNA, enzymes, antibodies, proteins, synthetic molecules and whole cells onto microelectrodes base on carbon, gold, platinum and other materials. More than 50 laboratory prototypes of enzyme biosensors for determination of different compounds including heavy metal ions and different toxic compounds have been developed in the department. These results were published in more than 400 articles and books.
Different strategies are applied by our team to improve analytical parameters of biosensors. These include sensitivity, limit of detection, linear range, selectivity; use of innovative electrode materials with improved design; modification of electrodes and bioselective layer by polymers (PPD, PVA-SbQ, etc.) and nanomaterials (zeolites, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, nanodiamonds, etc.). We apply different approaches of immobilization of biorecognition element on microelectrodes (covalent binding, entrapment, adsorption, cross-linking, electropolymerization, etc.).
Role in the project:
IMBIG will lead the develop and optimization of the electrochemical multi-biosensor + S::S sensor system for real-time monitoring of the wastewater treatment and recycling process.
Relevant Publications:
- O.Syshchyk, V.A.Skryshevsky, O.O.Soldatkin, A.P.Soldatkin. Enzyme biosensor system based on porous silicon photoluminescence for detection of glucose, urea and heavy metals. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 66 (2015) 89-94. (IF=9.5)
- K.V. Stepurska, O.O. Soldatkin, I.S. Kucherenko, V.M. Arkhypova, S.V. Dzyadevych, A.P. Soldatkin. Feasibility of application of conductometric biosensor based on acetylcholinesterase for the inhibitory analysis of toxic compounds of different nature. Analytica Chimica Acta, Vol. 854 (2015), P. 161-168. (IF=5.2)
- O.O.Soldatkin, I.S. Kucherenko, V.M. Pyeshkova, A.L. Kukla, N. Jaffrezic-Renault, A.V. El’skaya, S.V. Dzyadevych, A.P. Soldatkin. Novel conductometric biosensor based on three-enzyme system for selective determination of heavy metal ions. Bioelectrochemistry, Vol.83 (2012), P.25-30. (IF=4.5)
- I.S. Kucherenko, O.O.Soldatkin, V.M. Arkhypova, S.V. Dzyadevych, Soldatkin A.P. A novel biosensor method for surfactant determination based on acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Measurement Science and Technology, Vol. 23 (2012), art. no. 065801 (IF=1.8)
- O.O. Soldatkin, O.S. Pavluchenko, O.L. Kukla, I.S. Kucherenko, V.M. Peshkova, V.M. Arkhypova, S.V. Dzyadevych, A.P. Soldatkin, A.V. El’skaya. Application of enzyme multibiosensor for toxicity analysis of real water samples of different origin. Biopolymers and Cell, Vol. 25 (2009), P. 204-209.
Relevant Projects:
- FP7 N 318524 Project: NANODEV: “Integrated Nanodevices”; 2013 – 2015
- FP7 N 230802 Project: NANOBIOSENS: “New materials for biosensors application”; 2009 – 2011
- COMBIOM: FP7 INCO ERA-WIDE project “Strengthening Cooperation in Molecular Biomedicine between EU and Ukraine”, No 294932, 2011-2015
- HemoSensor: Eureka project No EU8835, 2015-1
- BLACK SEA HORIZON (2016-2017): Grant facilitating the participation of Black Sea countries in European Brokerage Events
Infrastructure & Equipment
The Department of Biomolecular Electronics is equipped with all necessary devices to create new biosensors based on microelectronic transducers. The department has devices for potentiometric, amperometric, conductometric and impediometric measurements, including portable potentiostats for amperometric research “PalmSens”, Netherlands (3 pieces), “DropSens”, Spain (2 pieces), devices for application with potentiometric transducers MEC-5, Ukraine (15 pieces); portable devices “MXP-3” Ukraine (3 pieces) and “МСР-3”, Ukraine (3 pieces); multifunctional device for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement “VoltaLab”, France; centrifuges, optical microscopes, amperometric disk electrodes (100 pieces); gold conductometric transducers (200 pieces); pH-sensitive field effect transistors (100 pieces).
All personnel will have full access to the equipment presented in the Department of Biomolecular Electronics. Furthermore, personnel will have access to the equipment presented in other departments of IMBG, i.e. spectrometers, chromatographs and different microscopes.