Prof. Ester Segal heads the Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials at the Faculty Biotechnology and Food Engineering. Her research is in the field of nano-biotechnology, interfacing nanomaterials science and biotechnology, and is focused on the development of functional materials systems for biosensing and diagnostics, as well as for delivery of bioactive compounds.
Prof. Segal is world renowned for her work in the field of biosensors, specifically silicon-based optical biosensors for identification and quantification of a wide range of biological targets from small size (such as biomolecular interactions) to large-size live cells. Her contribution to advancing the design of sophisticated porous silicon-based biosensors was recognized by the American Chemical Society and she was awarded with the prestigious Advances in Measurement Science Lectureship Award, 2019, honoring contributions of individuals who has made a major recent impact in the field of Measurement Science. She also serves on the editorial board of the leading journals in the fields of measurement science and analytical chemistry, including ACS Sensors and Analytical Chemistry.
With her unique experience in polymer science and biotechnology, Prof. Segal is involved in applicative research and industrial collaborations related to bio-functional polymer nanocomposites. For example, nanocomposites for antimicrobial surfaces, and has initiated and coordinated the EU-H2020 NanoPack Consortium, which raised 7.7M Euro for developing antimicrobial food packaging.
Prof. Segal has authored >100 scientific publications in leading journals and has four issued US patents. She also won numerous fellowships and prizes over the course of her career.
