ARC Research Hub for Molecular Biosensors at Point-of-Use (MOBIUS)

The need for analytical and bioanalytical molecular measurement extends to an increasingly large number of areas in human society, from basic research to environmental analysis and clinical diagnostics. Such analysis provides essential information about our chemical and biological environment by informing us what molecules are present, and at what quantities. However, this analysis – whether for medical, agricultural, or industrial applications – is largely confined to scientific laboratories and carried out by highly trained personnel using complex instrumentation, making it highly centralised, expensive, time-consuming, and requiring expertise. For these reasons, traditional analysis is increasingly being complemented with chemical sensors and biosensors for application at the point of use/point of need (PON). These portable devices typically provide less data but are faster, cheaper and simpler to use. As this trend continues, it will have a profound impact on our society: the democratisation of molecular analysis will empower individuals and communities by placing these technologies in the hands of people from all walks of life, allowing them to sense molecules in the human body and the environment at the point of care (POC) or PON.
Our vision is: 1) To empower individuals and communities by facilitating easy access to (bio)chemical measurement irrespective of geography or socioeconomic status. 2) To foster, transform and grow Australia's biosensors industry, create new high-paying jobs and spur economic growth. 3) Develop an industry-academic enabled pipeline to bring new biosensing technologies to commercialisation and global penetration. 4) Build an ecosystem to train the next generation of biosensor researchers by embedding researchers and students in industry.
The ARC Research Hub for Molecular Biosensors at Point-of-Use (MOBIUS) aims to establish an inter-disciplinary Hub that will leverage the best cutting-edge scientific and technological expertise in industry and academia to create and commercialise the next evolution of point-of-use molecular biosensors. It will engage in the discovery and optimisation of novel materials, molecules and detection modes for effective sensing of priority sector-relevant targets; and then transform these into innovative biosensing platform technologies that can be deployed in diverse applications – including healthcare, food and beverages, defence and biosecurity, agriculture, and the environment – for identification and monitoring of sector-relevant issues.