A. Carlino MSc (Alessandro)

The aim of my project is the development of a device for cancer diagnostics through the detection of hypermethylated DNA. DNA methylation is a process that regulates gene transcription, hypermethylation of several tumour suppressor genes promoters leads to expression silencing therefore to cancer development. My work is focused on specific amplification of hypermethylated biomarkers related to cancer, using an isothermal technique, in order to achieve the detection quickly, in small volumes and at constant temperature.

Alessandro Carlino received his Biotechnology bachelor degree in 2015 his Biomedical Nanotechnology master degree in 2018, both at University of Salento. During his master thesis he studied the immobilization of Photosynthetic Protein (RC) above Screen printed electrodes for impedance measurement. He also conducted an internship at University of Szeged, supported by the Erasmus project and the University of Salento, working on the functionalization of porous silicon with photosynthetic reaction centre protein for herbicide detection in water. Since 2018 he started a PhD project in BIOS lab on a Chip group at University of Twente, where is currently working on the amplification and detection of hypermethylated biomarkers for cancer detection on chip.