H2020 - Societal Challenges
EU funding to make our food safer The project RADAR aims at developing a novel instrument to detect toxins and pollutants in the food chain. This task involves risks and high-tech on a level that only big companies can tackle – or small ones, thanks to funding from the European Union. “Counter-intuitive” is the word
Complexity brings economic
that the project coordinator of
risks
RADAR,
Follonier,
The instrument to be developed
uses when he comments the
consists, basically, of five parts:
fact that the European Union
Part one prepares samples of,
funds a project that aims at
for
developing
analysed. These samples are
Stéphane
a
very
concrete
example,
to
be
RADAR aims at developing an instrument to test solid or liquid material for toxins and pollutants. To achieve this, the researchers take receptor molecules from aquatic organisms that binds classes of toxins and alter them in a way that they achieve a certain sensitivity and a broad specificity. The advantages compared to existing testing methods: thanks to the modified receptor molecules, the instrument can detect even toxins that are not known yet but that interact with the receptor molecules; and thanks to
product. Follonier is also head
brought
bio-engineered
its ability to perform real-time analysis,
of the Landquart division of
receptors (part two) that bind a
it can continuously (not just every now
CSEM,
coordinating
certain range of toxins and
and then) monitor, for example, water in
the
pollutants. These receptors sit
a fish farm for such toxins.
the
institution
of
RADAR
to
water
ABOUT THE PROJECT
project. RADAR shows that the
Dr Stéphane Follonier
on a chip with a nanostructured
Union
RADAR Coordinator
surface (part three). Optical
and work autonomously for at least a month
sensors (part four) then detect
(part five). Sounds quite straightforward, but:
not
only
funds
big
universities who conduct basic research.
“Even though the technologies for these
research not only for research’s sake, but
“The European Union is trying to involve small enterprises and promoting research not only for research’s sake, but for the development of concrete applications.”
for the development of products with
how many toxins and pollutants are bound
Consequently, new technologies have to be
concrete
by the receptors. Finally, another part makes
developed in different fields, and if only one
the system able to be remotely controlled
part of the instrument does not work, the
“I find it very important that the European Union is trying to involve small and medium enterprises and is promoting
applications”,
says
Stéphane
Follonier.
parts currently exists, dedicated technologies optimized
for
the
end
application
are
required for a successful product”, says Stéphane Follonier.
whole instrument will not work. If it was not
FACTS AND FIGURES Project Name:
for the funding from the European Union, RADAR (Rationally Designed Aquatic Receptors integrated in label-free biosensor platforms for remote surveillance of toxins and pollutants)
Research Area:
KBBE.2010.3.2-04 Innovative aquatic biosensors
Organisation:
CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Électronique et de Microtechnique)
Start Date - End Date:
01.01.2011 – 31.12.2014
Duration:
48 months
Project Cost:
3 896 412 Euros
Project Funding:
2 926 127 Euros
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only big companies would have the resources to bear such a risk. The research partners are each responsible for one part of the instrument. “The problem is sometimes that each partner wants to optimize their part of the instrument”, says Stéphane Follonier, “but what is really important is that the performance of the whole system is maximised. Ensuring that is the job of the CSEM as a coordinator.”