PhD thesis supervisor: dr. Rasa Pauliukaitė (apply for recommendation)
Development of (bio)sensors for bioelectrochemical investigations in odontology
Saliva is one of the body's biological fluids in which various markers indicating the health of the mouth and the whole body are found. Therefore, saliva is an attractive non-invasive sample for health monitoring. One of the simplest indicators is pH, whose change can indicate various diseases. The subject of this study is new polymeric and other biologically friendly materials that could be used in sensors to analyse saliva. Initially, the research would be conducted using artificial saliva and, based on the response to pH, the most suitable materials would be selected (polymers made from amino acids and B-group vitamins, as well as other materials that are more stable in saliva). The selected materials will then be used to create pH and glucose sensors, which will be optimised in artificial saliva and tested in volunteers' saliva. The ultimate goal is to develop an in-mouth sensor attached to brackets for continuous monitoring of children's oral health.