I-Corps: System for rapid detection of virus-loaded aerosol

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发技术，以近实时和现场检测空气传播的病原体，如病毒和细菌。通过早期发现及时采取行动，可以减少感染在许多环境中的传播，如学校、医院、疗养院和办公楼，从而还可以减少医疗成本、缺勤和生产力损失。鉴于弱势人群感染的严重后果以及就业和儿童教育的持续中断，冠状病毒大流行显然是目前早期发现的目标。然而，许多其他空气传播的病原体在类似的情况下也有兴趣，包括常见的病毒，如流感，以及更罕见的严重后果的病毒，如结核病和水痘。可采取的减少感染传播的及时行动包括隔离受感染的个人、使用防护设备、控制室内通风和空间净化。更广泛地说，空间的居住者可以通过手机应用程序了解在感兴趣的区域检测到的病原体水平，这样他们就可以做出明智的决定，决定参观哪些区域，以及是否建议戴面具。这个i-Corps项目基于开发一种集成的、自动化的、便携式的设备，用于现场和几乎实时地感知空气传播的病原体。建议的过程包括最初的收集步骤，在该步骤中，通过静电沉淀收集病毒颗粒。然后，有一个分离和RNA提取步骤，然后是一个浓缩阶段。这项技术是通过一种利用RNA天然负电荷的新方法实现的。最后是化学检测步骤和分类步骤。核心创新不仅是上述整个过程的整合，而且还创造了一种可现场处理的过程，从空气中的病毒颗粒中获得高度浓缩的靶向RNA。空气中的病原体检测比从患者拭子中检测更具挑战性，因为空气中的浓度要低得多，这些浓度仍然可以感染人。浓缩步骤对于能够检测相关的空气中病原体浓度至关重要。这一裁决反映了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 broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of technology to detect airborne pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, in near real-time and on-site. Timely actions informed by early detection can reduce the spread of infection in a number of settings, such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and office buildings, thereby also reducing the costs of healthcare, absenteeism, and loss of productivity. The coronavirus pandemic is an obvious current target for early detection, given the severe consequences of infections among vulnerable populations and the continuous disruption to jobs and children’s education. However, many other airborne pathogens are of interest in similar settings, including common viruses such as the flu, and more rare viruses with severe consequences, such as tuberculosis and varicella. Timely actions that could be taken to reduce the spread of infection include isolation of exposed individuals, use of protective equipment, control of in-room ventilation, and space decontamination. More generally, occupants of spaces may be made aware through a phone app of the pathogen levels detected in areas of interest, so they can make informed decisions about what areas to visit and if masking may be advisable.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an integrated, automated, and portable device for sensing airborne pathogens on-site and in almost real-time. The process proposed consists of an initial collection step, in which virus particles are collected through electrostatic precipitation. Then, there is a detachment and RNA extraction step, followed by an enrichment phase. This technology is realized with a novel method that leverages the natural negative charge of RNA. Finally, the final steps are the chemical detection step and the classification step. The core innovation is not only the integration of the overall process described above, but also, the creation of a fieldable process that obtains highly concentrated target RNA from in-air viral particles. Pathogen detection from the air is substantially more challenging than detection from a patient swab due to the much lower in-air concentrations, those these concentrations can still infect people. The enrichment step is critical to be able to detect relevant in-air pathogen concentrations.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.