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Team:UCL London/Applications
From 2009.igem.org
Sponsors
Applications
There are many potential applications of biosensors of different types.
E.g. biosensors can effectively be used to monitor the glucose levels in diabetic patients. Currently researchers all over the world are working to modify the sensitivity of the in vivo glucose sensors to be more analogous to the in vitro sensors.
Our Biosensor was created to be sensitive to particular stresses in the cell such as misfolding of proteins and low Oxygen levels.
There are also environmental applications of a biosensor; e.g. the detection of pesticides and river water contaminants. Eutrophication is a huge problem in our ecosystem. Eutrophication is defined as the increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in the environment. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subsequent negative environmental effects such as anoxia and severe reductions in water quality, fish and other animal populations may occur. “The Traffic-Light Stress Sensor” can possibly be used as a measuring device to monitor anoxia or the presence of nutrients such as Nitrate in water bodies.
