I-Corps: Commercialization of a real-time, palm-size, low-cost, and wireless SARS-COV-II detector

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一种无线纳米生物传感器，用于检测活的冠状病毒颗粒和潜在的其他病原体。目前，基于酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）或聚合酶链反应（PCR）的COVID检测结果为阳性，并不能确定冠状病毒颗粒是活的（传染性的）还是死的（或中和的或非传染性的）。该技术旨在实时检测活体冠状病毒颗粒与靶细胞、抗体和药物的相互作用。那些对拟议的技术结果呈阴性的人已经确认他们没有活的、传染性的冠状病毒颗粒，不需要隔离。该技术可为有效防治COVID-19病毒和未来的大流行以及其他感染提供工具。I-Corps项目的基础是开发用于病原体检测的纳米生物传感方法，最初侧重于SARS COV-II。该技术将生物陶瓷纳米线/石墨烯核/壳纳米复合材料与无线通信芯片表面的射频识别（RFID）标签集成在一起。纳米生物传感系统的硬件由三部分组成：射频纳米传感器、射频读取器和手持设备或智能手机。所提出的纳米生物传感器是通过在一次性RFID标签上涂覆生物安全的纳米复合材料来实现灵敏度最大化的。此外，可以集成纳米生物传感器以同时检测多孔板中的样品，该多孔板在检测病毒颗粒、病毒抗原和抗体以及评估病毒中和抗体和疫苗功效方面具有通用性和有效性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a wireless nano-biosensor for detection of live coronavirus particles and potentially other pathogens. Currently, a positive result from an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)- or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based COVID test does not determine if the coronavirus particles are live (infectious) or dead (or neutralized or noninfectious). The proposed technology is designed to detect interactions of live coronavirus particles with target cells, antibodies, and drugs in real-time. Those with a negative result from the proposed technology have confirmation that they are free of live, infectious coronavirus particles and would not need to quarantine. This technology may provide a tool for effectively combatting the COVID-19 virus and future pandemics/epidemics as well as other infections.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a nano-biosensing methodology for pathogen detection initially focused on SARS COV-II. The proposed technology integrates a bio-ceramic nanowire/graphene core/shell nanocomposite with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on a wireless communication chip surface. The hardware of the nano-biosensing system is composed of three parts: a radio frequency nano-sensor, a radio frequency reader, and a handheld device or smart phone. The proposed nano-biosensor is made by coating the biosafe nanocomposite on a disposable RFID tag to maximize the sensitivity. Further, nano-biosensors may be integrated to simultaneously detect samples in a multi-well plate, which is versatile and effective in the detection of virus particles, viral antigens, and antibodies, as well as in evaluating virus-neutralizing antibodies and vaccine efficacy.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.