Sensors & Diagnostics Blog

We are pleased to welcome Professor Michael Serpe as the new Associate Editor for Sensors & Diagnostics. Michael Serpe is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Alberta with a focus on developing innovative, stimuli-responsive polymer technologies. His work has contributed to the fields of environmental science and healthcare, particularly in the development of polymer-based sensors and biosensors.

Professor Serpe’s academic journey began with a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida, followed by a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech. After postdoctoral research in both industry and academia, he joined the University of Alberta in 2009, achieving the rank of Full Professor in 2018. Alongside his role as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Science, Professor Serpe leads a research group widely known for its work on stimuli-responsive polymers.

One of the group’s standout innovations is the creation of “etalons,” stimuli-responsive polymer-based sensors with wide-ranging applications. Initially focused on building a fundamental understanding of etalons, Professor Serpe’s team now uses them to develop point-of-care diagnostic devices. Their recent work includes the development of a portable sensor for detecting orthophosphate (PO43–) and adapting glucose test strips for COVID-19 antibody detection. These technologies have potential applications in both environmental monitoring and healthcare diagnostics.

We are excited to have Professor Mike Serpe on board, and we look forward to his contributions to Sensors & Diagnostics. His expertise in stimuli-responsive polymers-based biosensors will bring a fresh perspective to the journal’s mission of highlighting cutting-edge research in the field.

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We have recently received the very sad and unexpected news that our Advisory Board member Professor Lauro Kubota, a distinguished scientist and pioneer in the field of electrochemical sensing has passed. Lauro most recently served as an Advisory Board member for Sensors & Diagnostics and previously for Analytical Methods.

Professor Lauro Kubota, Photograph: University of Campinas, Brazil

Lauro received his PhD in Chemistry from the State University of Campinas in 1993 and joined the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp as an Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry in 1994, becoming a Full Professor in 2009. During this time, he participated in multiple scientific endeavors including acting as the Coordinator of the Central Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry at Unicamp and the Research Coordinator of the Institute of Chemistry. He had also been the Coordinator of the National Institute of Science and Technology of Bioanalytics (INCTBio) since 2008 and was named as the Director of the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp in 2014 and held this position for 4 years.

Lauro was a brilliant leader in the field of electrochemical sensing, receiving numerous accolades as a result of his contributions towards the development of sensors and biosensors. He pioneered innovative electrode modification techniques for the advancement of biosensor technologies for clinical, environmental and food-related applications.  Additionally, he published outstanding work centered on utilising novel electrochemical methods for point-of-care diagnostics and bioassays.

As a result of his scientific and academic excellence Lauro received several awards and honours, including being awarded the Inventor of the Year in 2000 by the government of the state of São Paulo and the Zeferino Vaz Award for Academic Recognition which he was awarded in 2004 and 2023. Lauro was also awarded the Rheinboldt-Hauptmann Award in 2023.

Besides being a fantastic scientist, Lauro acted as a supervisor to the next generation of scientists, supervising numerous students at various stages of their academic career. He was a very well respected and liked teacher, colleague and supervisor who will be dearly missed.

Sensors & Diagnostics and Analytical Methods truly appreciated Lauro’s efforts with each journal and his passing is a tremendous loss for the scientific community. Our thoughts are with his family, colleagues and friends.