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MUNASET

Multiparametric nanoelectronic biosensors for therapy response testing 
EU Funded
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Multiparametric nanoelectronic biosensors for therapy response testing 

Publications

Advanced Science "Cross-Platform Biosensing of Immune Receptors Using Peptide-Functionalized Graphene"

IOP Science "Emergence of graphene-based biosensors for improved treatment response prediction in major depressive disorder: a perspective"

Science Direct "Peptide-based biosensor for real-time monitoring of protease biomarker activity using multi-parametric surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy"

Wiley Advanced "Graphene-Enhanced Plasmonic Interfaces: A General Strategy for Highly Sensitive Detection of Biomolecular Interactions"

Alexey Tarasov Project Coordinator, Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences

Alexey Tarasov
Project Coordinator
Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences

The aim of the MUNASET project is to develop graphene-based devices to help doctors monitor the therapy of patients with depression and other psychiatric disorders. The envisioned test is fast, easy-to-use, only requires blood samples and can be used at the point of care to develop personalised therapies. It can greatly improve the treatment outcomes for psychiatric diseases.”
Alexey Tarasov
Project Coordinator

MUNASET is developing a rapid, highly sensitive graphene-based biosensor platform to address therapy response prediction and allow faster and more precise treatment identification, with the goal to improve therapy outcomes and reduce hospitalisation time. MUNASET aims to help secure Europe’s industrial leadership over the entire value chain of novel graphene-based bio-analytical tools.

Our goal is a next-generation biosensor platform technology that combines several existing technologies into a unique biosensor device that can potentially revolutionise the way that biochemical reactions and physiological interactions are studied. If successful, we expect that the resulting platform technology will significantly advance biomedical research and permit the development of novel point-of-care diagnostic and drug screening tools that can provide a competitive advantage for the healthcare and wellbeing sector in the European Union.

By using 2D graphene, we plan to demonstrate the following advantages compared to conventional tools:

  • Improved biosensing performance; including low detection limits, low drift, high chemical stability and biocompatibility to allow sensitive and selective biomarker detection in real time.
  • Versatile surface chemistry via pi stacking of linker molecules on graphene to attach capture peptides for different analytes and detection principles on the same device.
  • Novel sensing mechanism based on specific charge removal by proteases to ensure clear signals and high reproducibility.
  • Integrated CMOS readout to enable robust multi-analyte measurements with built-in calibration, averaging and measurement readout.

 Progress in 2025

The most significant achievement in 2025 has been the experimental demonstration of the sensing principle underlying the detection of protease biomarkers. These results have been published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. We have developed a highly sensitive plasmonic, peptide-based biosensor for detecting a protease biomarker (MMP-9). The sensor outperforms state‑of‑the‑art methods, providing faster detection, enhanced sensitivity, and additional information on binding kinetics, surface coverage, and molecular layer thickness.

Quantitative detection of MMP-9 is typically performed using bioanalytical detection kits such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which are time‑consuming and do not allow real‑time, label‑free monitoring. To overcome these limitations, we employed multi‑parametric surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (MP‑SPR) with immobilized short synthetic peptides as MMP‑9 substrates. This represents the first MP‑SPR biosensor based on short peptides for monitoring MMP‑9 activity, enabling rapid detection within minutes and providing real‑time information on binding kinetics, surface coverage, and peptide layer thickness.

Graphene has emerged as a highly promising material for enhancing plasmonic sensor performance. Our work, featured on the front cover of Advanced Healthcare Materials, demonstrated that integrating a single graphene layer with SPR interfaces can increase sensor signals by up to ~600%, greatly improving sensitivity for biomolecular interactions. This establishes graphene-enhanced SPR as a powerful platform for next-generation optical biosensors.

In parallel, graphene-based field-effect transistors (gFETs) offer a compact, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to conventional plasmonic sensors. We have published a direct comparison of gFET and SPR biosensors in Advanced Science, demonstrating that gFETs can achieve performance comparable to SPR while enabling smaller, cheaper, and more easily integrable devices suitable for point-of-care applications.

Building on these advances, our broader research efforts address biomarkers relevant to major depressive disorder (MDD) and other complex diseases. To contextualize these developments and outline future directions, we have published a Perspective article in 2D Materials, discussing recent progress, challenges, and opportunities in graphene-based biosensors for mental health diagnostics. 

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Meet our team

Alexey Tarasov

Coordinator, MUNASET

Dr Alexey Tarasov is a member of the Coordination Board of the Graphene Flagship initiative and a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences (KUAS), Germany. In 2023, he received a research focus professorship funded by the German Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMBF). Before joining KUAS in 2019, Alexey was head of the nanomaterial-based biosensors group at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg, Germany, where he developed graphene biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics in collaboration with Roche. From 2013 to 2015, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA, where he worked on 2D materials for flexible electronics and sensors. He received a Ph.D. in experimental physics from the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 2012, where he worked on silicon nanowires and graphene for biosensing applications. In addition, he has a diploma in physics from the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany, 2009, with a thesis on quantum wires. Prof Tarasov is currently leading several research projects funded by EU, national, regional and private sources on 2D materials, bioelectronic interfaces and biosensors for future applications in biomedical research, diagnostics and therapy. 

Amaia Zurutuza

Senior Graphene Sensor Researcher, MUNASET

Amaia Zurutuza obtained her PhD from the University of Strathclyde, UK and worked as a postdoctoral research scientist in two European projects. After that she worked in Ferring Pharmaceuticals (Scotland) as a senior polymer scientist for six years in the research and development of new controlled drug delivery systems. Her contribution in controlled therapeutics led to the granting of three patents in novel biodegradable and biostable polymers for controlling drug delivery. In 2010, she became the Scientific Director of Graphenea. At Graphenea, she leads the research and development activities on graphene-based materials. Since joining Graphenea, she has so far filed for sixteen patents and published more than 97 publications in peer reviewed journals, including Nature and Science. She has served as Principal Investigator in 38 EU FP7/H2020/HE funded research projects, including the Graphene Flagship, the 2D-Experimental Pilot Line and the follow-up project the 2D-Pilot Line. In the Graphene Flagship (10 year project), she was a member of the executive board (EB) and world package leader in the wafer scale integration. Currently, she is member of the EB of the new industrial association on innovative advanced materials (IAM-I) that will manage the newly created partnership by the EC in 2025, IAM4EU.

Amaia Rebollo

Graphene Sensor Researcher, MUNASET

Dr. Amaia Rebollo obtained her PhD in biosensors from the University of Navarra, developing expertise in biosensors, fabrication, and characterisation techniques. She spent five years at CIC nanoGUNE working on electrospinning, nanofluidics, and nanofabrication for biomedical applications, with postdoctoral research focused on polymer-based biomaterials. Since joining Graphenea in 2014 as Production Manager, she has overseen production planning and implemented lean manufacturing strategies. In the past three years, she transitioned to the R&D team and, more recently, to the role of Project Analyst, applying her technical expertise in graphene to high-impact projects.

Kristina Endres

Scientist, MUNASET

Dr. Kristina Endres is a Professor of Medicine and Biological Sciences at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences (KUAS), Germany. She is additionally associated at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz (JGU), Germany. Here, she was head of a working group since 2009 in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Before, she worked at the Institute of Biochemistry at JGU, where she also conducted her PhD. She obtained the Hans-Jörg Weitbrecht price for clinical neurosciences in 2015. Her research focuses on neurodegenerative processes (Alzheimer’s disease) and cognitively healthy aging. Prof. Endres is leading several research projects funded by EU, national and private sources within the fields of neuropsychiatric diseases, therapeutic approaches, healthy ageing and the gut-brain axis.

Thomas Zadrozny

Exploitation Manager, MUNASET

Thomas Zadronzy has earned two PhDs in biomedical sciences and transdisciplinary sciences at the ULB.ac in Brussels. He also gained a Security and Defense master at the Royal Belgian Military academy. Thomas has been involved in more than 50 EU projects leading the exploitation activities, he also worked as the Executive Director of the Nanofutures Platform – which provided support in the preparation of the Industrial Roadmap and work programme of H2020. Thomas is a skilled project evaluator and sits at several organization Boards and start-ups.

More team members from other projects HERE!

FROM OUR EXPERTS

"This workshop provides the groundwork for developing synergies between similar activities, driving innovation and accelerating progress towards application of 2D materials in biomedical and other applications” (on Graphene Week workshop collaboration).

Dr. Aristeidis Bakandritsos, Group Leader, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) at Palacký University, coordinator of the 2D-BioPAD project and co-chair of the Graphene Week 2024

"There have been many impressive applications so far for diagnostics and therapies. We should keep the momentum and try to collaborate to demonstrate more mature technologies with clear benefits for society in the next Graphene Week” (on scientific progress). 

Prof. Dr. Arben Merkoçi, ICREA Research Professor and Group Leader, Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2)

"Our projects have the same vision, we want to bring 2D materials to biomedical applications. Collaboration is key to achieving this and the two projects will work closely together to realise this vision” (on collaborations with 2DBioPAD).

Prof. Dr. Alexey Tarasov, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, coordinator of the MUNASET project

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