On Tuesday, 18 November 2025, a seminar and hands-on tutorial on switchSENSE® biosensor technologies was held at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg. The event was organized by ECLectic Doctoral Candidate Tereza Jahodová (DC10) as part of her secondment at the institute.
Tereza’s research project (DC10) focuses on developing applications of surface-based biosensor technologies like switchSENSE and SPR for the detection and analysis of sepsis-associated pathogens. At the moment, she is working on an approach to study pathogen single-point mutations using kinetic parameters of DNA binding. Her host beneficiary within the ECLectic Doctoral Network is Bruker Biosensors, a Munich-based company specialised in advanced surface-based biosensing technologies and a beneficiary of the DN. Tereza is also enrolled as a PhD candidate at LMU Munich, where she carries out her doctoral studies.
As part of the ECLectic MSCA Doctoral Network, Tereza is currently undertaking a two-month secondment at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, where she is learning how to extract DNA from patient samples and detect causative pathogens using PCR, in close collaboration with Abdulkadir Sadiq (DC9).
Abdulkadir’s research project (DC9) focuses on developing species-specific PCR and qPCR assays for the detection and quantification of sepsis-associated pathogens in bloodstream infections. He is currently using these molecular methods as a benchmark to evaluate the analytical performance of a lab-on-a-chip device based on electrochemiluminescence. His work aims to compare detection limits, reliability, and quantification accuracy to support the development of rapid point-of-care diagnostics for early sepsis detection.
Tereza and Abdulkadir are jointly working on preparing single-stranded PCR products of S. aureus and E. coli genes with a goal to analyze their sequence on the HeliX device, combining their complementary expertise to advance the diagnostic potential of the ECLectic technologies.
At the beginning of November 2025, Bruker Biosensors shipped a HeliX device to Universitätsklinikum Freiburg. This allowed Tereza and Abdulkadir to test and analyze their samples directly on-site, gaining practical insights into the performance of the system and validating the work developed so far within the project.
The invitation to the seminar and tutorial was circulated among the medical and research staff of the Freiburg University Hospital.
The aim of the session was to showcase switchSENSE® technologies, followed by a practical tutorial using the HeliX device. During the hands-on demonstration, participants explored how the system can be applied to study the binding properties of the therapeutic antibody Hemlibra.
This initiative was carried out within the framework of the ECLectic Doctoral Network’s collaboration and training program, reinforcing the project’s mission to provide interdisciplinary, intersectoral learning opportunities.
Thanks to Tereza’s secondment at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg and the close, day-to-day collaboration between Tereza and Abdulkadir, this joint work naturally evolved into a dissemination activity involving all relevant local stakeholders – including clinicians, researchers, and technology developers – fostering dialogue and strengthening the visibility of the project’s scientific advancements.