Research team
Expertise
My research expertise lies at the intersection of functional nanomaterials, electrochemical sensing, and analytical technologies, with a growing focus on forensic applications and the electrochemical detection of drugs and other compounds of forensic interest. My research has evolved from the development of transition metal sulfide (TMS)-based functional materials during my PhD to the design and application of electrochemical sensing platforms for the detection, discrimination, and identification of target analytes in complex samples. During my doctoral research, I focused on the synthesis, engineering, and characterization of transition metal sulfides for electrochemical and photocatalytic applications, including non-enzymatic glucose sensing, electrocatalytic water splitting, and the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. This work provided me with a strong foundation in materials design, structure–property relationships, and the development of functional materials with tailored properties for specific analytical and catalytic applications. My technical expertise includes wet-chemical synthesis and the structural, morphological, and surface characterization of nanomaterials using techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS. My broader research experience also includes material-based approaches to water purification and the removal of microbial contaminants. Building on this materials science background, my current postdoctoral research focuses increasingly on electrochemical detection and electrochemical fingerprinting for forensic applications, particularly the detection and differentiation of drugs and explosives. This research involves developing and evaluating electrochemical sensing approaches capable of distinguishing analytes based on their characteristic electrochemical responses, with an emphasis on analytical sensitivity, selectivity, and reliable identification.
FORESEE – Forensic Electrochemical Sensing of Emerging Psychoactive Substances: Establishing a Predictive Link Between Molecular Structure and Voltammetric Response
Abstract
The rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) and the structural similarity among many illicit compounds pose major challenges for on-site detection technologies. Traditional voltammetric sensors do not exploit the rich structural information encoded in redox behavior, leaving much of the discriminatory power of electrochemistry untapped. This proposal introduces FORESEE, a predictive framework that integrates experimental voltammetry, liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS), and density functional theory (DFT) to establish a mechanistic basis for structure-dependent electrochemical responses. FORESEE will construct a functional-group-level electrochemical library capturing the majority of redox-relevant structural variability in NPSs, and will advance DFT-based prediction of redox potentials by incorporating LC-HRMS/MS-derived information on intermediates and products. This combined approach will enable more accurate characterization of multi-step redox pathways and improved correspondence between computed and observed voltammetric features. By integrating mechanistic insights with a curated set of structural analogues, FORESEE will deliver a robust framework for classifying and differentiating analogues and for supporting early detection of emerging NPSs. By linking molecular structure to measurable voltammetric fingerprints, the project lays the foundation for next-generation, adaptive, on-site drug sensing technologies.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: De Wael Karolien
- Co-promoter: van Nuijs Alexander
- Fellow: Mazurków Julia
Research team(s)
Funding
- FWO
Project type(s)
- Research Project