Scalable Label-free electric detection of pathogens

Virus-caused infections are a leading cause of illness around the world.

Rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases is critical for appropriate and timely treatment of infected patients, for disease surveillance and to prevent the rapid spread of infectious diseases. Here we propose to develop a novel and scalable approach for label-free electric detection of virus. We will use a modified RT-LAMP to amplify viral genetic material and self-assemble the product into DNA nanoballs.

Next, the generated nanoballs will be detected by measuring changes in electric impedance as they flow passively through a microfluidic channel.

We expect that the combination of RT-LAMP and DNA nanoball generation provides higher specificity and sensitivity than current approaches.

By avoiding the need of fluorescence and by using electric impedance that can be easily miniaturized, we aim to develop an affordable point of care system.

We will validate this approach with SARS-CoV-2 and demonstrate its wide applicability and intrinsic flexibility by applying it to multiple pathogens (HIV, Influenza, RSV, measles…).

Finally, we will benchmark this approach and validate its utility in collaboration with a hospital clinical microbiology laboratory.

In summary, we propose to develop a new diagnostic method that has the potential to provide a sensitive, cheap and scalable point-of-care system to help address the growing diagnostic challenges in the coming decades.