I-Corps: COVID Detection System Using a DNA Cage-Embedded Microfluidics Sensor

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，微流控传感器系统的开发有可能对控制病毒传播的公共卫生努力产生重大影响。它可用于在家庭和护理地点环境中快速可靠地检测包括新冠肺炎在内的病毒，从而能够对感染者进行早期诊断和治疗。这有助于减少病毒的传播，减轻大流行的总体影响。这项技术的成功商业化将在疾病监测和生物医学研究方面带来巨大的市场潜力。最终，该项目的目标是在减轻新冠肺炎的影响和改善世界各地人们获得基本测试解决方案的机会方面发挥关键作用。这个i-Corps项目是基于开发一种用于检测新冠肺炎的微流控系统。金电极覆盖的微流控系统是用安装在电极表面的适配子或表面酶的DNA纳米笼固定的，该纳米笼根据注入系统的唾液样本中病毒颗粒的数量而产生不同的电阻抗信号。DNA折纸纳米笼技术与适体/ACE2酶相结合，能够特异性地捕获完整的SARS-CoV-2病毒。在微流控系统中安装适体/酶的DNA纳米笼的固定化允许简单、快速和灵敏的检测。电阻抗测量提供了一种在纳米摩尔水平上检测病毒存在的准确的无标签手段。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 I-Corps project is the development of a microfluidic sensor system has the potential to significantly impact public health efforts to control the spread of viruses. It can be used for rapid and reliable detection of viruses, including COVID-19, in home and point-of-care settings, enabling early diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals. This can help reduce the transmission of the virus and mitigate the overall impact of the pandemic. Successful commercialization of the technology will lead to significant market potential in disease surveillance and biomedical research. Ultimately, the project aims to play a critical role in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and improving access to essential testing solutions for people worldwide. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a microfluidic system for detecting COVID-19. The gold electrode-covered microfluidic system is immobilized with DNA nanocages installed with aptamers or surface enzymes on the electrode surface that generates varying electrical impedance signals depending on the number of virus particles in a saliva sample injected into the system. The DNA origami nanocage technique, together withaptamer/ACE2 enzymes are able to specifically capture the intact SARS-CoV-2 viruses. The immobilization of the DNA nanocage installed with aptamer/enzyme in a microfluidic system allows for easy, fast, and sensitive detection. The electrical impedance measurement provides an accurate label-free means of detecting the presence of the virus at nano-molar levels.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.