The Baeumner Bioanalytical Microsystems and Biosensors Laboratory focuses on the development of microfluidic biosensors for the detection of pathogens and toxins in food, the environment and for clinical diagnostics. Unique systems that integrate microfluidic design, electrochemical detection, liposome amplification and advanced nanofiber-enhanced sample preparation enable the detection of pathogens and toxins out of real-world samples at limits of detection that are critical for on-site detection.

Research is focused on fundamental studies with direct applications leading to lab-on-a-chip devices. Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan parasite ubiquotous in surface waters around the world, is a typical analyte of interest. With the devices developed in the research group, it can be detected at single oocyst level in environmental water samples. Furthermore, sample concentration modules are being developed based on nanofibers that enable the isolation and concentration of pathogens by a factor of 20,000 within the device.

Current investigations focus on sample preparation, the further improvement of straightforward electrochemical detection with portable miniaturized highly sensitive mini-potentiostats and the detection of new analytes relevant to food safety, environmental protection and clinical diagnostics.