Perrine Agnes Robin

Perrine Agnes Robin is a researcher at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Basic Sciences and the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering. Her work focuses on developing advanced DNA biosensors for viral pathogen detection, with particular emphasis on creating rapid, sensitive diagnostic platforms deployable in non-medical settings. She maintains active research status as indicated by her current EPFL affiliation and recent publications spanning 2022-2024.

Dr. Robin's research centers on DNA biosensor technology and surface functionalization strategies. She specializes in optimizing DNA probe immobilization on glass and gold surfaces to achieve high hybridization density while minimizing biofouling effects. Her work has significant applications in point-of-care diagnostics for viral pathogens including SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus, with recent advancements involving thermoresponsive polymer layers for antifouling properties and core-shell nanoparticle systems for enhanced gene delivery capabilities. She employs sophisticated surface characterization techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and water contact angle measurements.

Analysis of Dr. Robin's publication record reveals a clear progression from fundamental surface science investigations to integrated microfluidic platforms suitable for real-world diagnostic applications. Her research demonstrates consistent innovation in achieving attomolar-level sensitivity for unamplified viral RNA detection, with notable work on differentiating Zika virus lineages and developing sandwich assay approaches using functionalized nanoparticles to improve detection specificity.

Dr. Robin's research has been supported by prestigious Swiss funding agencies:

• Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS)
• CTI/Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency)

She collaborates extensively with Professor Sandrine Gerber-Lemaire's research group and maintains interdisciplinary partnerships across chemistry, engineering, and medical diagnostics fields. Current projects focus on optimizing sandwich assays that combine 2D sensing surfaces with functionalized nanoparticles for enhanced virus detection capabilities, with particular attention to differentiating between viral lineages through specialized DNA probe designs.

Dr. Robin's laboratory work is centered within EPFL's Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, where she develops and characterizes advanced sensing surfaces. Future research directions include implementing and optimizing sandwich assays for both fluorescence and bioimpedance detection, with applications for point-of-care diagnostics requiring minimal sample preparation and rapid results (under 10 minutes).