CPHNANO is a new cooperation partner of CheckNano. The company in Lyngby develops new ways to execute simple laboratory experiments to make the measurements more efficient and reliable and at the same time affordable to people that did not have the facilities before. Emil Højlund-Nielsen was so kind as to answer a few questions to us, supplemented by some experimental details from Assoc. Prof. Jacek Fiutowski.
In what way do you collaborate with CheckNano?
In cphnano, we expand the functionality of existing laboratory equipment by nanotechnology and provide automatic data analysis in the cloud. Our applications fit very well with the aim of CheckNano, and together we will develop the system in the direction of nanotoxicology studies. For CheckNano, the nanoparticles’ size determination is crucial. By adapting our nano cuvette technique that enables angle-resolved, light scattering, to the detection of silver nanoparticles and including spectral analysis we expect to be able to deliver a reliable test of nanoparticles size determination and for different solutions.
Jacek explains that both sides will set up identical spectrophotometers for cross-checking the nanoparticles’ detection in liquid samples which also includes samples from customer products, e.g. meat. We will compare the results with commercial instruments available at SDU (Dynamic Light Scattering, Helium Ion Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy). CheckNano is responsible for the sample delivery and test on customer products and the comparison with different techniques.
Which of the project aims poses the most significant challenge from your point of view?
It seems possible to me to deliver a solution to the posed challenges, but the most challenging seems to be a solution that is scalable and low-cost.
What is the advantage of the new approach?
Our NanoCuvette™ S, standard spectrophotometers can be upgraded to be used for CheckNano. The methodology bases on well-known angle-resolved light scattering, which is complemented by automatic analysis with cloud storage space. By this, it is not necessary to install new software, and the whole system is relatively low-cost.
Fact box
Founded in 2015 as a spin-out from Prof. A. Kristensen’s group at DTU Nanotech, Copenhagen Nanosystems ApS (CPHNANO) is a Labtech company that develops cuvettes that expands the functionality of existing simple laboratory equipment via nanotechnology.
CPHNANO has customers in the global life sciences, advanced technologies and research industries, and provides laboratory analysis combined with automatic data analysis in the cloud – leading to faster and more reliable results without upfront investments.
The product, NanoCuvetteTM S (NCS), is the first to enable angle-resolved, light scattering, impurity QC and determination of, e.g. biological cell concentrations, particle size, and turbidity. CPHNANO includes advanced cloud-based software to collect and process the data efficiently and accurately.