TUMCS | Thomas Höfer | 15.04.2021

Vincent Friebe will become an independent group leader in the EBT professorship, aming to develop bioelectrochemical sensors that detect pesticide residues with high specificity and sensitivity.

Dr. Vincent Friebe

As seen in previous projects (LiveSEN), Prof. Plumeré is dedicated to the sustainable treatment of our ecosystems in agriculture. In addition to nitrate pollution caused by overfertilisation, the spread of pesticides on agricultural land is a major burden on nature and thus also on our society. The continuous measurement of pesticide residues in ecosystems as well as in food and drinking water is a particular challenge. Here, once again, an electrochemical biosensor can provide a solution. This technology exploits the sensitivity and specificity of biological components integrated in electrical systems to enable rapid, on-site detection of pesticides that is simple and easy to use. This circumvents complex and time-consuming processes in the laboratory currently used to monitor pesticides.
With the funding support of a Veni Grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and surrounded by the team of expertise in the EBT professorship, Vincent is primed to tackle this mission of creating a viable biosensor. For this purpose, he is founding his own group within the EBT professorship. We are happy to welcome him and look forward to a successful time!