Rosa Biotech gets biosensors on the nose

The human nose can distinguish at least a trillion different odours, thanks to around 400 types of scent receptors working together. Most biosensors, however, can only bind a single analyte, limiting their ability to detect different odours. Rosa Biotech, a spin-out from the University of Bristol, UK, has developed biosensing technology that mimics mammals’ olfactory system to work more like an electronic nose. The sensors bind to a huge range of analytes and, as such, detect various combinations of molecules and odours.