School of Engineering PhD student Ali Gilani has received an Outstanding Best Paper Award at the 2026 IEEE BioSensors conference.Ali Gilani is a PhD student in the Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory, led by School of Engineering professor and dean Adrian Ionescu. He received an Outstanding Best Paper Award for the paper: Label-Free Detection of C-Reactive Protein Using a Graphene-Based Electrochemical Sensor, of which he is first author.The honor was presented at the 4th Annual IEEE BioSensors Conference, held in Bangkok, Thailand from 2–4 August, 2026.AbstractLabel-Free Detection of C-Reactive Protein Using a Graphene-Based Electrochemical Sensor C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important biomarker for inflammation and infection. In this work, we developed a scalable, label-free graphene-based electrochemical impedance spectroscopy biosensor for the detection of CRP. The sensor uses CVD-grown graphene functionalized with anti-CRP antibodies. When CRP binds to the sensor surface, it changes the electrical properties of the graphene–electrolyte interface. These changes can be measured electrically, enabling direct detection without the need for fluorescent or enzymatic labels. The sensor achieved a limit of detection of 384 pM and a broad dynamic range from 384 pM to 240 nM. It also demonstrated selective detection and operated successfully in physiologically relevant conditions using PBS, addressing a major challenge associated with biosensing in high-ionic-strength environments. The results demonstrate the potential of graphene-based electrochemical sensors for low-power, portable, and real-time point-of-care diagnostic systems, including future applications in wearable health-monitoring technologies.Authors: Ali Gilani, Clara Sarah Olsen, Johan Longo, Yann Christophe Sprunger, Yann Zosso, Sadegh Kamaei Bahmaei, Thanh Giang Bui, Ali Saeidi, and Adrian M. IonescuCollaborating institutions: EPFL’s Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory, Xsensio SA, and Melexis Switzerland SA