Our MOFKADD project receives ERC Proof of Concept grant!

We are delighted to announce that we received a European Research Council Proof of Concept (ERC PoC) grant for our MOFKADD project!

Diabetes mellitus is a global health concern affecting 537 million people and resulting in over 6.7 million deaths yearly. Diagnosis currently relies on blood analysis, which is expensive, time-consuming, and invasive. Breath analysis based on the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a promising non-invasive alternative. However, selectively measuring specific VOCs in breath is challenging due to their low concentrations and the presence of interfering compounds. Since current miniature sensors cannot efficiently distinguish between VOCs, there is a need for a novel technology capable of distinguishing a VOC of interest from a complex background. This project aims to address this challenge by combining a highly promising class of porous crystalline materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with sensor technology. A novel sensing concept based on the kinetic selectivity in the pores of the MOFs will be leveraged to mimic nature’s approach to olfaction and enable selective sensing. A demonstrator will be established to enable diabetes mellitus diagnosis and prove the breakthrough potential of this disruptive sensing platform

Víctor receives best oral presentation award @EUROCVD/ BALTIC ALD!

Congratulations to Víctor Rubio-Giménez for receiving the best senior oral presentation award at the EUROCVD / Baltic ALD conference!

Read all about his work on the chemical vapor deposition of Cu-BHT here, or on the publication page.

Rob receives the Laureate of the Academy Award from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts!

Rob is honored to receive the Laureate of the Academy Award from the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. Many thanks to the wonderful group members past and present for their commitment!

ERC Consolidator Grant KISSIES awarded!

With great excitement, we may announce that Prof. Ameloot has received an ERC Consolidator Grant on "KISSIES - kinetic selectivity in molecular sieve sensors".

In this project, which focuses both on fundamental insights and the implementation in practical applications, we want to develop new sensors to detect volatile organic compounds. KISSIES can enable a new generation of sensors that are small, sensitive, and sufficiently selective to detect and distinguish between different molecules. If successful, many applications are possible: measuring air quality, checking food freshness, and even diagnosing through a breath test.

Exciting times laying ahead, keep an eye on our Positions page for upcoming vacancies! Also, take a look at our Research page for more details on the science that we do!

More information on our KISSIES project can be found here.

Ameloot Group receives ERC Proof of Concept grant!

We are delighted to announce that we received a European Research Council Proof of Concept (ERC PoC) grant for our MOFFET project!

Detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentrations is an important but challenging task with a range of applications, including checking food freshness, monitoring indoor air quality, and diagnosing lung conditions through breath analysis. In all of these areas, high-performance yet compact VOC sensors are needed. While compact VOC sensors exist, they suffer from limited lifetimes and low selectivities, and often produce questionable data.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with pores of molecular dimensions are excellent materials to adsorb VOC analytes from air, even at very low concentrations. The MOFFET project targets the integration of MOFs with transistor technology to realize a novel type of VOC sensor. In addition, the modular nature of MOFs and microfabrication will be combined to realize an ‘electronic nose’ demonstrator for the selective detection in mixtures of VOCs. If successful, the project will contribute to novel, non-invasive medical diagnostics, checking food freshness, and monitoring air quality.

Looking forward to another great collaboration between the KU Leuven and Imec!

Rob receives Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award!

Rob is honored and humbled to receive the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Many thanks to our wonderful group members (past and present) for their commitment as well as to Prof. Dr. Roland A. Fischer (TU Münich) for the nomination and support! Our research group is very much looking forward to strengthening the collaboration between KU Leuven and the excellent German research community.

Thanks to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, we will be able to host Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships @KUL in the future. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Launching the new KU Leuven institute LIMNI!

We are delighted to introduce the new KULeuven Institute LIMNI, Leuven institute for Micro- and Nanoscale Integration. The mission of this latest KULeuven institute lies in integrating micro- and nanoscale technology in larger systems to address tomorrow's challenges. Big plans for tiny systems, by connecting researchers of various fields.

As a founding member we are greatly looking forward to the take off in 2021.

More detailed information can be found here.