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

用户友好且强大的纸质设备，用于传染病的现场诊断

• 批准号: 2900683
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2900683
• 关键词: User; friendly; robust; paper; based

Early detection of infectious diseases requires rapid, portable and highly sensitive molecular diagnostic platforms. This project aims at creating a point-of-care (POC) device that simplifies the efforts in monitoring and eliminating infectious diseases in rural low-resource areas. 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 Organization (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 the 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 amplification methods, including on-board reagent storage and sample processing and integrate them onto paper substrates to deliver "ASSURED" devices. The new capabilities will be prototyped using additive manufacturing and tested using model samples (artificial DNA/RNA in buffers) to establish proof-of-concept, followed by spiked real samples. Depending on progress and international travel restrictions, the devices will potentially be brought to our partners in Africa for evaluation in the field.

传染病的早期检测需要快速、便携式和高灵敏度的分子诊断平台。该项目旨在创建一种即时护理 (POC) 设备，以简化资源匮乏的农村地区监测和消除传染病的工作。基于微流体的低成本纸基设备已经开发出来，但目前尚不符合世界卫生组织提供的有效 POC 测试的“ASSURED”标准（经济实惠、灵敏、具体、用户友好、快速而稳健、无需设备且可交付给最终用户）。即使当前的测试可以检测到非常低浓度的传染性生物体，但由于基本试剂（例如酶）在实验室环境之外的挑战性现场条件下会降解，其有限的稳健性限制了它们在诊所和社区的实际使用。在这个项目中，我们将开发新的扩增方法，包括机载试剂存储和样品处理，并将它们集成到纸质基材上以提供“ASSURED”设备。新功能将使用增材制造进行原型设计，并使用模型样本（缓冲液中的人工 DNA/RNA）进行测试以建立概念验证，然后添加真实样本。根据进展情况和国际旅行限制，这些设备可能会被带到我们在非洲的合作伙伴进行现场评估。