Localized Surface Plasmon Platform for COVID-19 Screening

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Mass testing is required as an essential tool to help control the COVID-19 pandemic spread. The data already available from Asia (particularly South Korea) emphasizes the role of testing in flattening the rate of infection, precluding health centers and hospitals from being overwhelmed. Currently in Canada, the waiting for test results is around 24 hours and, although a few rapid screening technologies are expected to came on line soon, more alternative technologies for rapid tests are required. Moreover, the demographics of Canada contains several remote and First Nations community that would benefit from on site tests with real-time response. This proposal aims at the development of rapid test for the screening of COVID-19 patients. The technology will be developed in partnership with a Canadian company (ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Canada) that specializes in generating high quality antibodies for different infections and diseases. The technology will be a strip that will change color in contact with COVID-specific proteins from biofluids of infected patients. The interaction will trigger a color change that will be detected in real time with a cell phone.