SensETH is a multidisciplinary team of students from ETH Zurich who work towards developing a biosensor prototypes for real health challenges. The team then presents their prototype in an international biosensor competition.
SensUs is the annual international student competition on sensors for health, involving students, industry, patients, and healthcare professionals to accelerate the development and innovation of biosensors, hosted annually by TU Eindhoven. external page --> Learn more about SensUs
Up to 15 students are selected to participate. So far, SensETH has included students from D-ITET, D-HEST, D-BIOL, D-MATL, and D-CHAB. Students from all departments (as well as UZH) are welcome to apply.
Students who enroll in the course receive 12 ECTS credits. To ensure broad compatibility across ETH degree programs, students from different departments may register under different course units, in consultation with their study coordinator and Prof. Morteza Aramesh.
Enrolled students will gain experience in practical lab work, team-work, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Mentorship and technical supervision are provided by former team members, PhD students, industrial partners, coaches and collaborating labs.
Industrial partners support the team in various aspects. So far SensETH has established collaborations with Sensirion AG and iST AG.
ETH spin-offs also provide technical support and share their expertise to help the team develop its innovative ideas and strengthen the entrepreneurial aspects of the project. external page UNOMR and external page Hemetron are two examples.
Support SensETH! SensETH welcomes support from individuals, labs, spin-offs, and the industry. Feel free to reach out. Link to the contact page.
A brief track record of SensETH team and their participation in SensUs competition:
2026:
2nd participation / 15 students.
The team is currently working on a biosensor for monitoring levodopa in interstitial fluid to support more personalized treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
SensETH 2026
2025:
1st participation / 10 students.
The team developed a biosensor for the continuous monitoring of creatinine in interstitial skin fluid, targeting improved detection and monitoring of kidney disease. The work was based on an aptamer-based biosensor, featuring a strategy to minimize nonspecific binding and automated multi-electrode data analysis.
SensETH 2025
Mentorship and technical guidance are provided by former team members, PhD students, industrial partners, coaches, and collaborating labs.
Mentors of 2026 team:
Sabine Schär
Benedikt Wahl
Jamie Balfour
Industrial partners support the team in a variety of ways. To date, SensETH has established collaborations with Sensirion AG and iST AG.
Applications must be submitted through the online application form --> Apply Here!
Rough Timeline:
Interested students can apply from the start of the Autumn Semester (mid-September) until the published deadline, typically in mid-November.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in the last two weeks of November. A maximum of 15 students will be selected, with final decisions announced by 1 December.
The project officially begins with a kick-off meeting in the first week of December.
A small number of tasks are carried out in December, while most of the work starts after the ETH exam session.
Labs, workspaces and meeting rooms are located in the GLC building and are accessible year-round, including during the summer, in coordination with the lab supervisors.
Important milestones leading up to the competition is given below:
Early December: Registration; Information Package distributed
February: SensUs Kick-Off and Feedback Session 1
Early March: Entrepreneurship Session 1 and Partner Session 1
Late April: Feedback Session 2
Early May: Entrepreneurship Session 2
Late May: Partner Session 2
Early July: Feedback Session 3 and Entrepreneurship Session 3
