ALSense is an initiative led by Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences student Estel Gubianes, alongside Estel Massip and Roger Solsona, students on the University Master’s Degree in Experimental Biomedical Research and the Lifelong Learning Master's Degree in Biomedical Business Management, respectively, who are working to develop a biosensor capable of detecting biomarkers associated with the disease using non-invasive samples

The platform under development can detect a panel of three blood-based biomarkers, offering high analytical sensitivity, a correlation with the different clinical stages of the disease and rapid results. The project involves the clinical validation of the biomarkers, the engineering and characterisation of specific aptamers, the development and prototyping of the device and its subsequent translation into clinical practice.

ALSense is intended for health professionals and hospitals seeking faster, more reliable and cost-effective ways to diagnose ALS. With guidance from the ALS Unit at Hospital del Mar and mentors at UIC, the students are refining their proposal and exploring the possibility of integrating the biosensor into a portable platform for use in clinical and research settings. This could help improve patient monitoring and the tracking of disease progression.

Through the CRAASH programme, the team will receive mentoring from European and North American experts, including professionals from CIMIT in Boston. They will also take part in activities focused on market validation and business model development and prepare to pitch their project to a panel of investors.

The programme, which also connects the team with innovation ecosystems on both continents, will help them assess the project’s feasibility and explore new opportunities to generate an impact on patients’ lives within the next three to five years.

ALSense was first presented at the international synthetic biology competition iGEM, which took place in Paris in 2025, and has since undergone significant development. That same year, it won the 4th XEU University Entrepreneurship Fair, which brought together projects from twelve Catalan universities, as well as the Santander X Award for University Entrepreneurship Projects. In 2026, ALSense was present at 4YFN Barcelona, joined Cecot’s Healthcare pre-acceleration programme and became a member of the NEUROAGE network. It also recently received the 2026 IMPACTO grant, which recognises projects with the potential to make a positive impact on society and will enable the team to begin developing its minimum viable product.