RAPID Excellence in Research: The development of ultrasensitive, multiplexed DNA/RNA detection platform using printed nanocomposite biosensors

新冠肺炎疫情给美国和全世界带来了严重的公共卫生危机。一个迫切的需求是改进和简化检测SARS-COV-2病毒的方法。许多可用的检测缺乏特异性，需要几个小时才能完成，并且需要集中化的高复杂性实验室设备。该奖项支持的研究人员将开发和测试一种新的系统，用于电化学检测病毒RNA序列，而不需要复杂的实验室程序。这项工作将由塔斯基吉大学的研究人员领导，并与奥本大学的研究人员合作。除了改进SARS-COV-2检测带来的潜在社会效益外，作为该项目的一部分开展的本科生和研究生培训将有助于促进和扩大HBCU学生的参与。电化学纳米复合生物传感器是检测生物标志物和环境危害的有力工具。在临床样本中发现的DNA或RNA片段通常低于大多数未扩增DNA/RNA检测方法的检测限值。该奖项支持的研究将测试简单纳米复合传感器的实用性，直接从未扩增的样本中检测DNA/RNA。这项技术以高通量格式和电子读数提供了前所未有的不同病原体序列的同时和多路检测。这种简化的方法具有极大的缩短样品周转时间的潜力，因为它们具有无标签的特性，并且具有一次性“传感器条”的高灵敏度。这些研究的结果将通过在同行评议的期刊上发表、在科学会议上发表演讲以及可能通过将所产生的技术商业化来传播。这项快速授予塔斯基吉大学的奖项由生物基础设施部颁发，并得到了NSF HBCU卓越研究项目的支持。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a serious public health crisis to the United States and to the world at large. One critical need is for improved and simplified methods to detect the SARS-COV-2 virus. Many of the available tests lack specificity, take several hours to complete, and require centralized high-complexity laboratory equipment. Researchers supported by this award will develop and test a novel system for electrochemical detection of viral RNA sequences without the need for complex laboratory procedures. The work will be led by investigators at Tuskegee University, working in collaboration with Auburn University researchers. In addition to the potential societal benefit accrued from improved SARS-COV-2 testing, the undergraduate and graduate student training conducted as part of the project will help to advance and broaden the participation of students from HBCUs. Electrochemical nanocomposite biosensors are powerful tools for the detection of biomarkers and environmental hazards. DNA or RNA fragments found in clinical samples typically fall below the detection limits of most methods of unamplified DNA/RNA detection. The research supported by this award will test the utility of simple nanocomposite sensor detecting DNA/RNA directly from unamplified samples. This technology offers an unprecedented simultaneous and multiplexed detection of different pathogen sequences in a high-throughput format with electrical readout. The simplified approach has the potential to dramatically reduce sample turnaround time due to their label free character and high sensitivity with a disposable “sensor strip.” Results from these studies will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at scientific meetings, and potentially through commercialization of the resulting technology. This RAPID award to Tuskegee University is made by the Division of Biological Infrastructure and is also supported by the NSF HBCU Excellence in Research Program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.