COVID-19: Portable Raman Analyzer for point-of-care rapid diagnosis of COVID-19

病毒感染的快速诊断是防止病毒传播的关键。目前，市场上大约有30种FDA批准的新冠肺炎检测试剂盒。所有这些都是基于聚合酶链式反应过程，必须由获得高或中等复杂性测试认证的实验室进行操作。这一过程非常耗时，通常需要几个小时才能获得检测结果。用于快速诊断的检测试剂盒于2020年4月上市，但每天最多只能进行15次检测。莱尔森的研究人员与Neuronic Works合作，提出了一种新冠肺炎检测试剂盒，该试剂盒有可能将测试时间减少到2分钟。建议的测试试剂盒由便携式拉曼分析仪和基于量子探测器的测试介质组成。三个常用的新冠肺炎标记将被测试。Ryerson研究小组已经展示了检测细胞DNA的测试试剂盒，检测的范围限制在毫微摩尔浓度。目前能够检测新冠肺炎核糖核酸、蛋白质和抗体的项目是他们早期研究的自然延伸。该团队将进行概念验证研究，并开发算法和逻辑，以实现准确的计算机化诊断。神经工程公司是电子设备设计的领先者之一，它将把这项实验室研究转化为新冠肺炎的原型测试套件。像这样的检测试剂盒可以保障公众健康和安全，并减少新冠病毒19的传播，因为感染病例(包括轻微和无症状病例)可以被快速识别。因此，扩大经济开放是可能的。

Rapid diagnosis of viral infection is critical for the prevention of virus spreading. Currently there are approximately 30 FDA-approved COVID-19 test kits on the market. All of them are based on a PCR process and must be operated by laboratories certified for high or moderate-complexity tests. The process is time consuming and usually takes hours to obtain testing results. Test kits for rapid diagnosis emerged in the market in April 2020, but the maximum number of tests that can be performed is only 15 per day. Ryerson researchers in collaboration with Neuronic Works propose a COVID-19 test kit that has the potential to cut the test time to 2 minutes. The proposed test kit consists of a portable Raman Analyzer and quantum-probe-based test medium. Three commonly used COVID-19 markers will be tested. The Ryerson research team has already demonstrated the test kit for the detection of cellular DNA with limitation of detection down to femtomolar concentration. The current project of enabling detection of COVID-19 RNA, proteins and antibodies is a natural extension of their earlier research. The team will conduct a proof-of-concept study and develop algorithms and logics for accurate computerized diagnosis. Neuronic Works, one of the leading companies in electronic device design, will transfer this laboratory research into a prototype COVID-19 test kit. A test kit like this could safeguard public health and safety and reduce the spread of COVID 19 since infected cases (including mild and asymptomatic cases) could be quickly identified. As a result, a broader opening of the economy is possible.