User-friendly and robust paper-based device for in-field diagnostic of infectious diseases

EPSRC：Giulia Core：EP/R513222/1传染病的早期检测需要快速、便携和高灵敏度的分子诊断平台。该项目将在加拿大麦克马斯特大学的Globalink安置期间进行，旨在创建一种护理点(POC)设备，以简化社区监测和消除传染病的工作。已经开发了基于微流体的低成本纸基设备，但目前没有一种设备满足世界卫生组织提供的有效POC测试的“有保证”标准(负担得起、敏感、特定、用户友好、快速和坚固、无设备和可交付给最终用户)。即使目前的检测方法可以检测到极低浓度的感染性生物，但其有限的稳健性限制了它们在临床和社区中的实际应用，这是因为基本试剂(如酶)在具有挑战性的野外条件下、在实验室环境之外会降解。在这个项目中，我们将开发新的无酶检测方法，并将它们集成到纸张基材上，以提供“有保证的”设备。

EPSRC : Giulia Core : EP/R513222/1Early detection of infectious diseases requires rapid, portable and highly sensitive molecular diagnostic platforms. The project, to be carried out during the Globalink placement at McMaster University in Canada, aims at creating a point-of-care (POC) device that simplifies the efforts in monitoring and eliminating infectious diseases in communities. Low-cost, paper-based devices based on microfluidics have been developed but none currently meet the "ASSURED" criteria for effective POC testing provided by World Health Organisation (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users). Even if current tests can detect very low concentrations of infectious organisms, their limited robustness restricts their practical use in clinics and in communities, due to the degradation of essential reagents (such as enzymes) in challenging field conditions, outside of the laboratory environment. In this project, we will develop new enzyme-free detection methods and integrate them onto paper substrates to deliver "ASSURED" devices.