SBIR Phase I: Modular, Paper-based, Secured Diagnostics for Managing Viral Outbreaks (COVID-19)

小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是管理和跟踪动物，人类和植物种群中病毒爆发的一种具有成本效益的方法，包括跟踪COVID-19大流行等情况。 它克服了当前病毒筛查方法的挑战，即收集样本所需的PPE，将样本处理到集中分析地点，测试成本以及对有限试剂的依赖。 该项目中提出的平台可以在动物生产设施或家中现场使用。扫描仪可以放置在许多市政和商业场所（例如，药店）或信封可以方便地邮寄用于评估。双重读取模式为客户提供及时的反馈，以及匿名聚合读出数据的能力-这对于实时跟踪病毒爆发和通知资源分配以减轻传播至关重要。该诊断平台将产生影响，使：1）动物生产者能够减轻病毒传播并减少损失; 2）企业、学校和其他组织能够就关闭和卫生政策做出实时数据驱动的决策。拟议项目的重点是评估诊断平台三个关键要素的技术可行性：（1）使用定制制剂将等温RNA扩增直接偶联至无细胞提取物的能力，以简化可用性（消除目前商业试剂盒的卡外扩增）并降低成本;（2）生产可扩展的和有效的无细胞提取物，其非常适合于通过RNA回路扩增报告蛋白，以增加蛋白质生产的速率并减少RNA降解。 该提取物的性能将告知获得结果的时间以及卡的成本，翻译的必要度量;和（3）产生对与动物产业相关的病毒靶（例如，猪流感、猪呼吸道疾病）。 这些也将告知检测限。 这个项目将评估这样的系统的可行性。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project is a cost-effective way to manage and track viral outbreaks in animal, human, and plant populations, including tracking for situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. It overcomes the challenges of current viral screening methods, namely PPE required for collecting samples, handling of samples to centralized analytic sites, cost of tests, and reliance on limited reagents. The platform proposed in this project could be used on-site at an animal production facility or at home. The scanner can be placed at many municipal and commercial locations (e.g., drug stores) or the envelope can be conveniently mailed for assessment. The dual read modality gives timely feedback to the client, as well as the capability for anonymous aggregation of readout data - essential for real-time tracking of viral outbreak and informing resource allocation to mitigate spread. This diagnostic platform would generate impact, allowing: 1) animal producers to mitigate virus spread and reduce loss and 2) businesses, schools, and other organizations to make real-time data-driven decisions on closures and health policies.The proposed project focuses on assessing technical feasibility of three critical elements of a diagnostic platform: (1) the ability to couple isothermal RNA amplification directly to cell-free extract using custom formulations, to simplify usability (eliminate current off-card amplification with commercial kits) and reduce cost; (2) Production of a scalable and efficient cell-free extract well-suited for amplification of reporter proteins by RNA circuits to increase the rate of protein production and reduced RNA degradation. The performance of this extract will inform the time to result as well as the cost of card, necessary metrics for translation; and (3) production of new toehold riboregulators (2 to 3) selective to virus targets relevant to the animal industry (e.g., swine flu, porcine respiratory). These will also inform the limits of detection. This project will evaluate the feasibility of such as system.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.