Contact Professor Tony Turner
Areas of expertise
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biosensors & Diagnostics
- Defence Sensors
- Food Safety
- Instrumentation, Sensors and Measurement Science
- Manufacturing of Functional Materials
- Monitoring and Environmental Informatics
- Nanotechnology
- Sensor Technologies
Background
Professor Anthony (Tony) Turner's name is synonymous with the field of Biosensors. He joined Cranfield from the University of Kent in 1981, as a founder member of the UK's first Biotechnology Centre. He established the Biosensor Group which developed, in collaboration with Oxford University, the World's most commercially successful type of home diagnostic, the electrochemical glucose sensor for diabetes. He went on to perform contract R&D for many of the leading diagnostics companies in the World and other organisations interested in emerging biotechnologies. His 45-year academic career culminated in the positions of Principal of Cranfield University at Silsoe and Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology. In 2011, he was granted Emeritus status and moved to more basic research in bioelectronics for a further 8 years with Linköping University in Sweden. In addition to his academic activities, he has specialised in patent litigation, leveraging IP and driving numerous biosensor start-ups over the past four decades.
In 2016, Prof Turner was awarded the Ukraine's highest academic honour, the Vernadsky Gold Medal from the National Academy of Sciences and, in the same year, he was awarded the Datta Medal by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS). Among a number of other international awards, the Royal Society of Chemistry presented him with the Theophilus Redward Medal, in 2011, He was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2013 and admitted as a Fellow of the UK Royal Society of Chemistry in 1996. He was awarded a Higher Doctorate (DSc) for his exceptional contribution to biosensors by the University of Kent, in 2001, and an Honorary DSc by the University of Bedfordshire in 2008, where he served as a Governor for six years and is a Member of Court. He was elected a Foreign Associate of the USA National Academy of Engineering in 2006, for his work on glucose sensors, environmental monitors and synthetic recognition molecules and has been a Visiting Professor at various universities in the UK, Italy, Sweden, Korea, Japan and China. Anthony Turner has over 750 publications and patents (>350 refereed journal papers and reviews) in the field of biosensors and biomimetic sensors and has supervised 54 PhD students. He has a G.S. h-index (2025) of 98. He published the first textbook on Biosensors in 1987, co-founded the principal journal in his field, Biosensors & Bioelectronics (Elsevier), which he edited from 1985 to 2019 (and remains Founding Editor-In-Chief), and chaired the World Congress on Biosensors, from when he founded it in 1990 until 2021.
Current activities
Professor Turner is Founding Editor-In-Chief of the principal journal in his field, Biosensors and Bioelectronics (Elsevier). His main focus now is on science communication, translational research and technology transfer.
Clients
Prof Turner has consulted for a large number of national and multinational companies in the field of diagnostics design and manufacture including Abbott, Beckman Instruments, Bayer, Boehringer Mannheim / Roche, Ciba Corning, DeLaval, Distiller, E.I. Du Pont de nemours, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Nova Biomedical, Oblon, Radiometer, S.C. Johnson & Son and Wellcome. He has also been commissioned to advise government bodies such as the European Parliament, DTI and OST (UK), MITI (Japan), Danish Department of Health, Swedish Ministry of Technology, Australian Ministry of Science, NATO and WHO.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Tsutsumi J, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2021). Precise and rapid solvent-assisted geometric protein self-patterning with submicron spatial resolution for scalable fabrication of microelectronic biosensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 177(April)
- Meng L, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2021). Conducting polymer-reinforced laser-irradiated graphene as a heterostructured 3D transducer for flexible skin patch biosensors. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 13(45)
- Loo JFC, Ho AHP, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2020). Integrated printed microfluidic biosensors. Trends in Biotechnology, 37(10)
- Uzunçar S, Meng L, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2020). Processable and nanofibrous polyaniline:polystyrene-sulphonate (nano-PANI:PSS) for the fabrication of catalyst-free ammonium sensors and enzyme-coupled urea biosensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 171
- Meng L, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2020). Tunable 3D nanofibrous and bio-functionalised PEDOT network explored as a conducting polymer-based biosensor. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 159
- Meng L, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2019). Soft and flexible material-based affinity sensors. Biotechnology Advances, 39
- Meng L, Turner APF & Mak WC. (2019). Modulating Electrode Kinetics for Discrimination of Dopamine by a PEDOT:COOH Interface Doped with Negatively Charged Tricarboxylate. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 11(37)
- Mashayekhi Mazar F, Martinez JG, Tyagi M, Alijanianzadeh M, Turner APF, .... (2019). Artificial muscles powered by glucose. Advanced Materials, 31(32)
- Mirzapoor A, Turner APF, Tiwari A & Ranjbar B. (2019). Electrochemical detection of DNA mismatches using a branch-shaped hierarchical SWNT-DNA nano-hybrid bioelectrode. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 104
- Azharuddin M, Zhu GH, Das D, Ozgur E, Uzun L, .... (2019). A repertoire of biomedical applications of noble metal nanoparticles. Chemical Communications, 55(49)
- Azzouzi S, Fredj Z, Turner APF, Ali MB & Mak WC. (2019). Generic Neutravidin Biosensor for Simultaneous Multiplex Detection of MicroRNAs via Electrochemically Encoded Responsive Nanolabels. ACS Sensors, 4(2)
- Liu Y, Turner APF, Zhao M & Mak WC. (2018). Facile synthesis of highly processable and water dispersible polypyrrole and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) microspheres for enhanced supercapacitive performance. European Polymer Journal, 99
- Rezaei B, Shoushtari AM, Rabiee M, Uzun L, Turner APF, .... (2018). Electrochemical performance of nanofibrous highly flexible electrodes enhanced by different structural configurations. Composites Science and Technology, 155
- Sekretaryova AN, Eriksson M & Turner APF. (2016). Bioelectrocatalytic systems for health applications. Biotechnology Advances, 34(3)
- Zhybak M, Beni V, Vagin MY, Dempsey E, Turner APF, .... (2016). Creatinine and urea biosensors based on a novel ammonium ion-selective copper-polyaniline nano-composite. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 77
- Uzun L & Turner APF. (2016). Molecularly-imprinted polymer sensors: realising their potential. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 76
- Parlak O & Turner APF. (2016). Switchable bioelectronics. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 76
- Ghosh T, Sarkar P & Turner APF. (2015). A novel third generation uric acid biosensor using uricase electro-activated with ferrocene on a Nafion coated glassy carbon electrode. Bioelectrochemistry, 102
- Parlak O, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2015). pH-induced on/off-switchable graphene bioelectronics. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 3(37)
- Patra HK, Imani R, Jangamreddy JR, Pazoki M, Iglič A, .... (2015). On/off-switchable anti-neoplastic nanoarchitecture. Scientific Reports, 5(1)
- Ashaduzzaman M, Anto Antony A, Arul Murugan N, Deshpande SR, Turner APF, .... (2015). Studies on an on/off-switchable immunosensor for troponin T. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 73
- Imani R, Pazoki M, Tiwari A, Boschloo G, Turner APF, .... (2015). Band edge engineering of TiO2@DNA nanohybrids and implications for capacitive energy storage devices. Nanoscale, 7(23)
- Shukla SK, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2015). Cholesterol Oxidase Functionalised Polyaniline/Carbon Nanotube Hybrids for an Amperometric Biosensor. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 15(5)
- Hejazi MS, Majidi MR, Gholizadeh S, Hamidi-Asl E, Turner APF, .... (2015). Effect of Electrophoresis on the Efficiency of Graphite-Nano-TiO2 Modified Silica Sol–Gel Electrode. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 15(5)
- Turner APF. (2015). Preface. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 67
- Turner APF. (2015). Biosensors: Fundamentals and applications – Historic book now open access. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 65
- Torréns M, Ortiz M, Turner APF, Beni V & O'Sullivan CK. (2015). Controlled Zn‐Mediated Grafting of Thin Layers of Bipodal Diazonium Salt on Gold and Carbon Substrates. Chemistry – A European Journal, 21(2)
- Hatamie A, Khan A, Golabi M, Turner APF, Beni V, .... (2015). Zinc Oxide Nanostructure-Modified Textile and Its Application to Biosensing, Photocatalysis, and as Antibacterial Material. Langmuir, 31(39)
- Cao S, Chen J, Ge Y, Fang L, Zhang Y, .... (2014). A self-switchable Ag nanoreactor exhibiting outstanding catalytic properties. Chem. Commun., 50(1)
- Kashefi-Kheyrabadi L, Mehrgardi MA, Wiechec E, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2014). Ultrasensitive Detection of Human Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Using a Label-Free Aptasensor. Analytical Chemistry, 86(10)
- Karimian N, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2014). Electrochemical evaluation of troponin T imprinted polymer receptor. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 59
- Sekretaryova AN, Beni V, Eriksson M, Karyakin AA, Turner APF, .... (2014). Cholesterol Self-Powered Biosensor. Analytical Chemistry, 86(19)
- Parlak O, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2014). On/Off‐Switchable Zipper‐Like Bioelectronics on a Graphene Interface. Advanced Materials, 26(3)
- Khun K, Ibupoto ZH, Liu X, Mansor NA, Turner APF, .... (2014). An Electrochemical Dopamine Sensor Based on the ZnO/CuO Nanohybrid Structures. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 14(9)
- Patra HK & Turner APF. (2014). The potential legacy of cancer nanotechnology: cellular selection. Trends in Biotechnology, 32(1)
- Sekretaryova AN, Vagin MY, Beni V, Turner APF & Karyakin AA. (2014). Unsubstituted phenothiazine as a superior water-insoluble mediator for oxidases. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 53
- Patra HK, Khaliq NU, Romu T, Wiechec E, Borga M, .... (2014). MRI‐Visual Order–Disorder Micellar Nanostructures for Smart Cancer Theranostics. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 3(4)
- Poma A, Guerreiro A, Whitcombe MJ, Piletska EV, Turner APF, .... (2013). Solid‐Phase Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles with a Reusable Template–“Plastic Antibodies”. Advanced Functional Materials, 23(22)
- Li H, He J, Li S & Turner APF. (2013). Electrochemical immunosensor with N-doped graphene-modified electrode for label-free detection of the breast cancer biomarker CA 15-3. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 43(1)
- Turner A. (2013). Biosensors: then and now. Trends in Biotechnology, 31(3)
- Turner APF. (2013). Biosensors 2012. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 40(1)
- Turner APF. (2013). Biosensors: sense and sensibility. Chemical Society Reviews, 42(8)
- Ali Kamyabi M, Hajari N, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2013). A high-performance glucose biosensor using covalently immobilised glucose oxidase on a poly(2,6-diaminopyridine)/carbon nanotube electrode. Talanta, 116
- Banerjee S, Sarkar P & Turner APF. (2013). Amperometric biosensor based on Prussian Blue nanoparticle-modified screen-printed electrode for estimation of glucose-6-phosphate. Analytical Biochemistry, 439(2)
- Tiwari A, Sharma Y, Hattori S, Terada D, Sharma AK, .... (2013). Influence of poly(n‐isopropylacrylamide)–CNT–polyaniline three‐dimensional electrospun microfabric scaffolds on cell growth and viability. Biopolymers, 99(5)
- Karimian N, Vagin M, Zavar MHA, Chamsaz M, Turner APF, .... (2013). An ultrasensitive molecularly-imprinted human cardiac troponin sensor. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 50
- Parlak O, Tiwari A, Turner APF & Tiwari A. (2013). Template-directed hierarchical self-assembly of graphene based hybrid structure for electrochemical biosensing. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 49
- Perfézou M, Turner A & Merkoçi A. (2012). Cancer detection using nanoparticle-based sensors. Chem. Soc. Rev., 41(7)
- Tiwari A, Deshpande SR, Kobayashi H & Turner APF. (2012). RETRACTED: Detection of p53 gene point mutation using sequence-specific molecularly imprinted PoPD electrode. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 35(1)
- Bini A, Mascini M, Mascini M & Turner APF. (2011). Selection of thrombin-binding aptamers by using computational approach for aptasensor application. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 26(11)
- Kyprianou D, Guerreiro AR, Nirschl M, Chianella I, Subrahmanyam S, .... (2010). The application of polythiol molecules for protein immobilisation on sensor surfaces. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 25(5)
- Poma A, Turner APF & Piletsky SA. (2010). Advances in the manufacture of MIP nanoparticles. Trends in Biotechnology, 28(12)
- Sarkar P, Banerjee S, Bhattacharyay D & Turner APF. (2010). Electrochemical sensing systems for arsenate estimation by oxidation of l-cysteine. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 73(6)
- Berti F, Todros S, Lakshmi D, Whitcombe MJ, Chianella I, .... (2010). Quasi-monodimensional polyaniline nanostructures for enhanced molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensing. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 26(2)
- Scarano S, Mascini M, Turner APF & Minunni M. (2010). Surface plasmon resonance imaging for affinity-based biosensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 25(5)
- Ge Y & Turner APF. (2009). Molecularly Imprinted Sorbent Assays: Recent Developments and Applications. Chemistry – A European Journal, 15(33)
- Romero Guerra M, Chianella I, Piletska EV, Karim K, Turner APF, .... (2009). Development of a piezoelectric sensor for the detection of methamphetamine. The Analyst, 134(8)
- Turner APF. (2009). Biosensors 2008: The 10th World Congress on Biosensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 24(5)
- Dutta K, Bhattacharyay D, Mukherjee A, Setford SJ, Turner APF, .... (2008). Detection of pesticide by polymeric enzyme electrodes. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 69(3)
- Piletska EV, Guerreiro AR, Romero-Guerra M, Chianella I, Turner APF, .... (2008). Design of molecular imprinted polymers compatible with aqueous environment. Analytica Chimica Acta, 607(1)
- Ge Y & Turner APF. (2008). Too large to fit? Recent developments in macromolecular imprinting. Trends in Biotechnology, 26(4)
- Guerreiro AR, Korkhov V, Mijangos I, Piletska EV, Rodins J, .... (2008). Influence of continuous magnetic field on the separation of ephedrine enantiomers by molecularly imprinted polymers. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 23(7)
- Uludağ Y, Piletsky SA, Turner APF & Cooper MA. (2007). Piezoelectric sensors based on molecular imprinted polymers for detection of low molecular mass analytes. The FEBS Journal, 274(21)
- Bossi A, Rivetti C, Mangiarotti L, Whitcombe MJ, Turner APF, .... (2007). Patterned gallium surfaces as molecular mirrors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 23(2)
- Bossi A, Bonini F, Turner APF & Piletsky SA. (2007). Molecularly imprinted polymers for the recognition of proteins: The state of the art. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 22(6)
- Newman JD & Turner APF. (2005). Home blood glucose biosensors: a commercial perspective. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 20(12)
- Piletsky SA, Piletska EV, Karim K, Davis F, Higson SPJ, .... (2004). Photochemical polymerization of thiophene derivatives in aqueous solution. Chemical Communications, 0(19)
- Turner APF & Magan N. (2004). Electronic noses and disease diagnostics. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2(2)
- Lucarelli F, Marrazza G, Turner APF & Mascini M. (2004). Carbon and gold electrodes as electrochemical transducers for DNA hybridisation sensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 19(6)
- Pavlou AK, Magan N, Jones JM, Brown J, Klatser P, .... (2004). Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) in vitro and in situ using an electronic nose in combination with a neural network system. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 20(3)
- Bossi A, Castelletti L, Piletsky SA, Turner APF & Righetti PG. (2004). Properties of poly-aminophenylboronate coatings in capillary electrophoresis for the selective separation of diastereoisomers and glycoproteins. Journal of Chromatography A, 1023(2)
- Lotierzo M, Henry OYF, Piletsky S, Tothill I, Cullen D, .... (2004). Surface plasmon resonance sensor for domoic acid based on grafted imprinted polymer. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 20(2)
- Mattias Sandström KJ, Sunesson A-L, Levin J-O & Turner APF. (2003). A gas-phase biosensor for environmental monitoring of formic acid: laboratory and field validation. J. Environ. Monit., 5(3)
- Chianella I, Piletsky SA, Tothill IE, Chen B & Turner APF. (2003). MIP-based solid phase extraction cartridges combined with MIP-based sensors for the detection of microcystin-LR. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 18(2-3)
- Subrahmanyam S, Piletsky SA & Turner APF. (2002). Application of Natural Receptors in Sensors and Assays. Analytical Chemistry, 74(16)
- Chianella I, Lotierzo M, Piletsky SA, Tothill IE, Chen B, .... (2002). Rational Design of a Polymer Specific for Microcystin-LR Using a Computational Approach. Analytical Chemistry, 74(6)
- Pavlou AK, Magan N, McNulty C, Jones JM, Sharp D, .... (2002). Use of an electronic nose system for diagnoses of urinary tract infections. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 17(10)
- Tombelli S, Mascini M & Turner APF. (2002). Improved procedures for immobilisation of oligonucleotides on gold-coated piezoelectric quartz crystals. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 17(11-12)
- Pavlou A, Turner APF & Magan N. (2002). Recognition of anaerobic bacterial isolates in vitro using electronic nose technology. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 35(5)
- Mattias Sandström KJ, Carlson R, Sunesson A-L, Levin J-O & Turner APF. (2001). Multivariate evaluation of factors influencing the performance of a formic acid biosensor for use in air monitoring. The Analyst, 126(11)
- Bossi A, Piletsky SA, Piletska EV, Righetti PG & Turner APF. (2001). Surface-Grafted Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Protein Recognition. Analytical Chemistry, 73(21)
- Piletsky SA, Alcock S & Turner APF. (2001). Molecular imprinting: at the edge of the third millennium. Trends in Biotechnology, 19(1)
- Turner APF. (2000). Biosensors--Sense and Sensitivity. Science, 290(5495)
- Tombelli S, Mascini M, Braccini L, Anichini M & Turner APF. (2000). Coupling of a DNA piezoelectric biosensor and polymerase chain reaction to detect apolipoprotein E polymorphisms. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 15(7-8)
- Pavlou AK, Magan N, Sharp D, Brown J, Barr H, .... (2000). An intelligent rapid odour recognition model in discrimination of Helicobacter pylori and other gastroesophageal isolates in vitro. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 15(7-8)
- Kröger S, Turner APF, Mosbach K & Haupt K. (1999). Imprinted Polymer-Based Sensor System for Herbicides Using Differential-Pulse Voltammetry on Screen-Printed Electrodes. Analytical Chemistry, 71(17)
- Sarkar P, Tothill IE, Setford SJ & Turner APF. (1999). Screen-printed amperometric biosensors for the rapid measurement of L- and D-amino acids. The Analyst, 124(6)
- Kröger S, Setford SJ & Turner APF. (1998). Immunosensor for 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in Aqueous/Organic Solvent Soil Extracts. Analytical Chemistry, 70(23)
- Chen B, Bestetti G, Day RM & Turner APF. (1998). The synthesis and screening of a combinatorial peptide library for affinity ligands for glycosylated haemoglobin1This paper was a finalist for the Biosensors & Bioelectronics Award for the most original contribution to the Congress, but was withdrawn from the competition by the authors.1. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 13(7-8)
- Skuridin SG, Yevdokimov YM, Efimov VS, Hall JM & Turner APF. (1996). A new approach for creating double-stranded DNA biosensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 11(9)
- Hobson NS, Tothill I & Turner APF. (1996). Microbial detection. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 11(5)
- Jaffari SA & Turner APF. (1995). Recent advances in amperometric glucose biosensors for in vivo monitoring. Physiological Measurement, 16(1)
- White S. (1995). On-line monitoring of glucose, glutamate and glutamine during mammalian cell cultivations. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 10(6-7)
- Dennison MJ & Turner APF. (1995). Biosensors for environmental monitoring. Biotechnology Advances, 13(1)
- Loughran M. (1995). Amperometric detection of histamine at a quinoprotein dehydrogenase enzyme electrode. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 10(6-7)
- Turner APF. (1994). Biosensors. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 5(1)
- Alcock SJ, Danieslson B & Turner APF. (1992). Advances in the use of in vivo sensors. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 7(4)
- Brooks SL, Higgins IJ, Newman JD & Turner APF. (1991). Biosensors for process control. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 13(12)
- Alcock SJ, Karayannis M & Turner APF. (1991). The design and development of new chemical sensors for in vivo monitoring. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 6(8)
- Bradley J, Kidd AJ, Anderson PA, Dear AM, Ashby RE, .... (1989). Rapid determination of the glucose content of molasses using a biosensor. The Analyst, 114(3)
- Stanley CJ, Cox RB, Cardosi MF & Turner APF. (1988). Amperometric enzyme-amplified immunoassays. Journal of Immunological Methods, 112(2)
- Owen VM & Turner APF. (1987). Biosensors: a revolution in clinical analysis?. Endeavour, 11(2)
- D'Costa EJ, Higgins IJ & Turner APF. (1986). Quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase and its application in an amperometric glucose sensor. Biosensors, 2(2)
- Turner A. (1985). Diabetes mellitus: biosensors for research and management. Biosensors, 1(1)
- Cass AEG, Davis G, Francis GD, Hill HAO, Aston WJ, .... (1984). Ferrocene-mediated enzyme electrode for amperometric determination of glucose. Analytical Chemistry, 56(4)