STTR Phase I: COVID-19 - High-Brightness Fluorescent Probes for Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction

这项小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一种新的探针，用于检测低水平的病毒载量，例如导致COVID-19的病毒载量。目前还不容易获得快速可靠的试剂盒。该项目将使用现有的具有成本效益的技术，以更少的检测错误提供病毒物质的快速检测。能够以低浓度和高精度量化和跟踪病毒载量，将加快检测速度，减少假阴性，并加快疫苗和药物的开发，以对抗COVID-19和未来的大流行。STTR第一期项目将开发基于高亮度荧光团/染料（HBFs）的创新荧光探针，其可调消光系数比商业染料高数千倍。基于这种HBF平台技术，我们将能够创建高亮度的qPCR探针，可以在更少的扩增周期和最小的复制错误下，通过强而可调的荧光信号特异性地定量病毒rna。本项目将对高亮度qPCR探针的活性、效率和特异性进行评估。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to develop a new probe to detect low levels of viral load, such as that causing COVID-19. Rapid and reliable kits are not currently readily available. This project will provide rapid detection of viral material using exsiting cost-effective techniques with fewer detection errors. Being able to quantify and track viral loads at low concentration and high accuracy will expedite tests, reduce false negatives, and accelerate vaccine and drug development to combat COVID-19, and future pandemics.This STTR Phase I project will develop innovative fluorescent probes based on high-brightness fluorophores/dyes (HBFs) that offer tunable extinction coefficients up to several thousand times higher than commercial dyes. Based on this HBF platform technology, we will be able to create high-brightness qPCR probes that can specifically quantify viral RNAs by strong and tunable fluorescent signals at fewer amplification cycles and minimum replication errors. The activity, efficiency, and specificity of high-brightness qPCR probes will be evaluated in the project.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.