Space Impact and Technological Transfer of a Biosensor Facility to Earth Application for Environmental Monitoring

J.      B. Cano; D.      Giannini; G.      Pezzotti; G.      Rea; M.      T. Giardi

Abstract

The Photo II instrument is an optical sensor which flew on board the Foton-M2 and Foton-M3 missions of the European Space Agency. The experiment aimed at testing the resistance of several C. reinhardtii algal strains to the space environment by measuring in real time their photosynthetic performance. We present the architectural structure of the Photo II device, describe the concept and importance of the biological experiment and discuss the main issues regarding the performance of this sensor in Space. This patent review highlights the Space to Earth technological transfer as a series of Photo II based devices that have been designed and developed as biosensors for applications on Earth. Two examples of technology transfer of the space sensor are discussed: SensDNA for the analysis of labeled DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides and proteins, and OPTICBIOMulticell, a biosensor platform for environmental monitoring. Several patents on the subject that appeared in recent years are discussed.

Keywords: Space, biosensors, ionizing radiation, rad-hard components, C. reinhardtii, Fluorescence biosensors, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic apparatus, resonance energy, Microalgae, photobioreactors, antheraxanthin, Kautsky's effect