PROSEQO · Project

Optical Technology That Reads Proteins One Molecule at a Time for Diagnostics

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine reading the letters in a book, but instead of a book, it's a single protein molecule — the tiny machines that actually run your body. Right now, we can read DNA fairly well, but reading proteins (which tell you what's actually happening in a disease) is much harder. This project built a miniature optical device that uses laser light bouncing off tiny metal structures to identify individual amino acids — the building blocks of proteins — one by one. Think of it like a barcode scanner, but for the molecular ingredients of life, working at a scale a million times smaller than a grain of sand.

By the numbers

Working demonstrators delivered

Consortium partners

Countries involved (DE, ES, FR, IT)

Industrial partners including SMEs

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Current protein analysis methods work on bulk samples and miss critical details — individual protein variants altered by disease, drug response, or post-translational modifications get lost in the noise. For pharma companies tracking treatment efficacy and diagnostics firms developing next-generation tests, the inability to read proteins at the single-molecule level means slower drug development, missed biomarkers, and less precise patient monitoring.

The solution

What was built

The project built 8 lab demonstrators: a SERS-based single amino-acid detector, an integrated micro/nanofluidics platform with nanotrapping, FRET spectroscopic detection system, a multiple plasmonic nanotrap platform, a steerable optical trap, an integrated optical system, and computational tools for reconstructing protein sequences from optical signals. Together, these form the building blocks of a future single-molecule protein and DNA/RNA sequencing device.

Audience

Who needs this

Large pharma R&D teams developing precision medicine and companion diagnosticsIVD manufacturers building next-generation molecular diagnostic instrumentsContract research organizations expanding into proteomics servicesBiotech startups developing single-molecule detection platformsAcademic medical centers running translational proteomics research

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical & Drug Development

enterprise

Target: Pharma companies developing precision therapeutics

If you are a pharma company struggling to monitor how patients respond to treatment at the molecular level — this project developed a plasmonic optical platform with 8 working demonstrators that can sequence individual protein molecules. This means you could detect tiny changes in protein structure caused by disease or drug response that current bulk methods miss entirely. With single-molecule sensitivity, you could identify therapy-resistant variants far earlier in clinical trials.

Diagnostics & Clinical Laboratory Equipment

enterprise

Target: IVD companies building next-generation diagnostic platforms

If you are a diagnostics manufacturer looking for breakthrough detection technology — this project built demonstrators for single amino-acid detection using SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) and an integrated micro/nanofluidics platform. The 6-partner consortium across 4 countries validated that plasmonic nanostructures can trap and read single molecules optically. This could become the core sensing engine inside a future clinical sequencing instrument.

Genomics & Proteomics Services

mid-size

Target: Contract research organizations offering sequencing services

If you are a CRO or sequencing service provider wanting to add protein sequencing to your portfolio — this project created a device concept that performs both nucleic acid and amino-acid sequencing in one functional unit. The project delivered 19 deliverables including computational models for reconstructing exact sequences from optical signals. This dual capability could let you serve both genomics and proteomics customers on a single platform.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project was funded as a FET Open Research and Innovation Action, meaning it explored early-stage proof-of-principle concepts. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator (Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia) and the 2 industrial partners in the consortium. Costs are not publicly disclosed.

Can this work at industrial scale for high-throughput sequencing?

The project objective explicitly targets high-throughput protein sequencing and high-throughput DNA sequencing. However, the 8 demonstrators delivered are proof-of-concept lab devices, not production systems. Scaling from single-molecule lab demonstrators to industrial throughput would require significant further engineering and investment.

What is the IP situation — can we license specific components?

The consortium of 6 partners across 4 countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy) likely generated IP around plasmonic nanostructures, optical trapping, SERS detection, and the integrated sequencing platform. IP ownership and licensing availability should be discussed with the coordinator in Italy, as FET Open projects typically allow partners to exploit their own results.

How does this compare to existing protein analysis methods like mass spectrometry?

Unlike mass spectrometry which analyzes bulk samples, this technology works at the single-molecule level, detecting individual amino acids one at a time using optical spectroscopy. This means it could identify proteins present in diminishingly small quantities, including those altered by post-translational modifications that bulk methods may average out or miss entirely.

What was actually demonstrated and validated?

The project delivered 8 demonstration-level outputs including: single amino-acid detection via SERS, an integrated micro/nanofluidics platform with nanotrapping, FRET spectroscopic detection, a multiple plasmonic nanotrap platform, a steerable optical trap, and computational sequence reconstruction. These are lab-validated demonstrators, not commercial prototypes.

Is this ready for clinical or regulatory use?

No. As a FET Open project, PROSEQO was designed to prove scientific feasibility, not clinical readiness. Moving toward regulatory approval (e.g., CE-IVD or FDA clearance) would require extensive validation, clinical trials, and manufacturing scale-up beyond what was achieved in the 3-year project period (2016-2019).

Consortium

Who built it

The PROSEQO consortium brings together 6 partners from 4 European countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy), led by the Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia — a major Italian research institution. The mix is balanced for early-stage research: 2 universities, 2 research organizations, and 2 industry players (both SMEs), giving a 33% industry ratio. The presence of 2 SMEs signals that smaller, agile companies saw commercial potential early enough to participate. For a business considering this technology, the Italian coordinator is the primary contact, while the SME partners may already be working on commercialization paths for specific components like plasmonic nanostructures or optical systems.

FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIACoordinator · IT
AB ANALITICA SRLparticipant · IT
ALACRIS THERANOSTICS GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONAparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAYparticipant · FR
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSthirdparty · FR

How to reach the team

Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, Italy — contact through CORDIS or project website

Order a report on this consortium See FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the PROSEQO optical sequencing platform or connecting with the consortium? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the coordinator and relevant partners.

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