RAPID: A Surface-Based Detection Platform for SARS-CoV-2

数百万人面临严重的健康问题，甚至因冠状病毒感染（COVID-19疾病）而死亡。世界卫生组织已宣布COVID-19爆发为大流行病和国际突发公共卫生事件。 为了应对这种情况，普渡大学的Stanciu教授旨在设计一种策略，以建立一个快速，灵敏和有效检测唾液中冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）的即时检测平台。 本项目为学生提供了一个将电化学、生物学和器件设计结合起来进行研究的机会，以增加生物传感技术的基础知识。传感器的设计是基于测量表面固定的核酸探针与靶病毒RNA特异性杂交后的阻抗变化。 本研究的一个重要目的是了解电动力学和基础科学，强烈影响探针杂交效率。 该信息对于在生理条件下实现病毒RNA的快速（几分钟）、高选择性和高灵敏度检测（无扩增）至关重要。该生物传感平台可以集成到可现场部署的设备或连接到蜂窝网络的远程监控系统中，这些设备或系统将信息传输到疾病控制中心。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Millions are at risk of severe health issues and even death caused by coronavirus infection (COVID-19 disease). The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and an international public health emergency. In response to this situation, Prof. Stanciu at Purdue University aims to design strategies that will result in a point-of-need testing platform for rapid, sensitive, and effective detection of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in saliva. This project provides opportunity to students to conduct research that integrates electrochemistry, biology, and device design to increase fundamental knowledge for advancing biosensing technologies.The sensor design is based on the measurement of impedance changes upon specific hybridization of surface-immobilized nucleic acid probes with target viral RNA. An important aim of this research is to understand the electrokinetics and fundamental science that strongly influence probe hybridization efficiency. This information is critical for achieving rapid (minutes), highly selective, and highly sensitive detection of the viral RNA (without amplification) under physiological conditions. This biosensing platform can be integrated into field-deployable devices or remote monitoring systems connected to cellular networks that will transmit information to disease control centers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.