Dr Saimon Moraes Silva

Dr Saimon Moraes Silva’s research advances electrochemical biosensors for rapid, sensitive and accessible molecular detection at the point of need. His work addresses fundamental barriers to sensing in complex biological samples, including biofouling, limited sensitivity and specificity, and poor operational stability. A central contribution is the development of bioinspired interfaces based on lubricin, a naturally occurring glycoprotein that protects sensing surfaces against nonspecific adsorption while supporting molecular recognition and electrochemical signalling. These interfaces underpin platforms for detecting cancer-associated glycans and other molecular targets directly in unprocessed biological fluids. His research also develops nucleic acid sensing strategies, including enzymatic amplification approaches achieving attomolar microRNA detection, alongside protein- and aptamer-based sensors for biomedical and environmental applications, including PFAS monitoring. By connecting interfacial chemistry and molecular recognition with portable instrumentation, his program seeks to translate advances in analytical performance into practical sensing technologies. This approach integrates scalable manufacturing, validation in relevant samples and engagement with end users to develop sensors suited to their intended settings, including resource-limited and rural communities

Read some of Dr Silva's Analyst articles:

Lubricin (PRG-4) anti-fouling coating for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy biosensing: towards a hierarchical separation system for analysis of biofluids 

Reagentless protein-based electrochemical biosensors