Gold nanostructures, optical biosensing and artificial intelligence for food and water safety were the focus of the seminar held in Wuxi on 15 October 2026.
On 15 October 2026, Dr. Domenico Sagnelli, researcher at NanoSmartLab, CNR-ISASI, delivered an invited seminar at the School of Food Science and Technology in Wuxi, China, during a visit at the invitation of Prof. Xingxun Liu and Prof. Andreas Blennow.
His presentation, “Plasmonic SERS Biosensing Meets Autonomous Machine Learning,” explored how engineered gold nanostructures and advanced computational methods can work together to address challenges in detecting foodborne and waterborne pathogens.
At the heart of the seminar was surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), a technique that uses nanostructured surfaces to amplify weak molecular signals and reveal chemical fingerprints. Sagnelli presented complementary sensing platforms developed within the group, from precisely engineered plasmonic metasurfaces to self-assembled gold nanoparticles and flexible paper-based substrates.
Research examples covered the detection and discrimination of Shiga toxins, rotavirus and bacteria relevant to food and water contamination. The presentation highlighted how substrate design, selective detection strategies and spectral analysis contribute to biosensor performance, while discussing the validation still needed to translate experimental results into routine applications.
The seminar also revisited MOSAN, the autonomous machine-learning framework previously featured in our news section. Its role in exploring neural-network architectures and adapting to changes in sensor response illustrated the growing connection between intelligent data analysis and experimental biosensing.
The visit brought NanoSmartLab’s research to an international food-science audience, providing an opportunity for scientific exchange across nanotechnology, spectroscopy, food science and artificial intelligence.
Our sincere thanks to Prof. Xingxun Liu and Prof. Andreas Blennow for their invitation and hospitality, and for the opportunity to share our work in China.
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