Engineering DNAzyme-gold nanoparticle diagnostic device

蚊子携带许多传染性病原体，这些病原体会严重影响病人以及病人接触的其他人的健康。目前，寨卡病毒的传播引起了全球性的恐慌，该病毒与胎儿和新生儿的大脑畸形有关。鉴于交通工具的进步，** 病毒被输入到蚊子 ** 携带病毒的国家的风险很大。随着寨卡病毒继续传播到新的地方，仍然迫切需要开发快速诊断寨卡病毒感染的简单方法。在难以进入检测实验室的 ** 地区进行快速诊断，将有助于对 ** 受感染的孕妇进行适当管理，并在病毒传播 ** 到新的、往往是偏远地区时采取控制措施。在这个项目中，我们的目标是开发一种独特的基于颜色的测试，使用纳米技术组件，能够快速诊断出现寨卡病毒症状的患者，以及其他两种重要的蚊子传播的病毒，登革热和基孔肯雅病毒。这三种病毒的检测对于确定适当的治疗非常重要，因为感染三种病毒中任何一种的患者可能会出现相同的症状。我们将进一步开发一种智能手机读出系统，使 ** 量化和监测寨卡病毒的传播。一个由一名工程师 ** 和两名医生组成的团队被召集起来建造和测试这个诊断设备。我们的商业合作伙伴拥有构建设备和试剂的基础设施，测试诊断系统，并在全球销售和分销用于患者护理的技术。

Mosquitos carry many infectious pathogens that can significantly affect a patient's health as**well as other people that the patients come into contact with. Currently, there is a major global**scare with the transmission of the Zika virus, which has been implicated in cerebral brain**malformations among fetuses and newborns. Given advances in transportation vehicles,**there is a significant risk of the virus being imported back to countries where the mosquitos**carry it are found. There remains an urgent need to develop simple methods to rapidly**diagnose Zika virus infection as it continues to spread to new locations. Rapid diagnosis in**areas with reduced access to testing laboratories will allow appropriate management of**pregnant women who become infected and implement control measures as the virus spreads**to new, often remote areas. Here, in this project, our aim is to develop a unique colour-based**test using nanotechnology components to be able to rapidly diagnose patients that are**presenting symptoms for the Zika virus, as well as two other important mosquito borne**viruses, dengue and chikungunya virus. Testing of the 3 viruses is important to determine**proper treatment, as patients infected with either of three viruses may present the same**symptoms. We will further develop a smartphone readout system that enables the**quantification and monitoring of transmission of Zika virus. A team consisting of an engineer**and two medical doctors is assembled to build and test this diagnostic device. Our**commercial partners have the infrastructure to build the device and reagents, test the**diagnostic systems, and to globally sell and distribute the technology for use in patient care.