Engineering DNAzyme-gold nanoparticle diagnostic device

蚊子携带许多传染性病原体，会严重影响患者的健康，也会影响患者接触的其他人的健康。目前，寨卡病毒的传播在全球引起了巨大恐慌，该病毒与胎儿和新生儿的脑部畸形有关。考虑到交通工具的进步，病毒被输入到发现蚊子携带病毒的国家的风险很大。随着寨卡病毒继续向新的地区传播，迫切需要开发简单的方法来快速诊断寨卡病毒感染。在获得检测实验室的机会较少的**地区进行快速诊断，将能够对**名受感染的孕妇进行适当管理，并在病毒向新的、往往是偏远地区传播**时实施控制措施。在这个项目中，我们的目标是使用纳米技术组件开发一种独特的基于颜色的测试，以便能够快速诊断出出现寨卡病毒症状的患者，以及另外两种重要的蚊媒病毒——登革热和基孔肯雅病毒。检测这三种病毒对于确定适当的治疗方法很重要，因为感染这三种病毒中的任何一种的患者都可能出现相同的症状。我们将进一步开发智能手机读数系统，使**量化和监测寨卡病毒的传播。一个由一名工程师**和两名医生组成的团队被召集起来建造和测试这个诊断设备。我们的商业合作伙伴有基础设施来制造设备和试剂，测试诊断系统，并在全球销售和分销用于患者护理的技术。

Mosquitos carry many infectious pathogens that can significantly affect a patient's health as**well as other people that the patients come into contact with. Currently, there is a major global**scare with the transmission of the Zika virus, which has been implicated in cerebral brain**malformations among fetuses and newborns. Given advances in transportation vehicles,**there is a significant risk of the virus being imported back to countries where the mosquitos**carry it are found. There remains an urgent need to develop simple methods to rapidly**diagnose Zika virus infection as it continues to spread to new locations. Rapid diagnosis in**areas with reduced access to testing laboratories will allow appropriate management of**pregnant women who become infected and implement control measures as the virus spreads**to new, often remote areas. Here, in this project, our aim is to develop a unique colour-based**test using nanotechnology components to be able to rapidly diagnose patients that are**presenting symptoms for the Zika virus, as well as two other important mosquito borne**viruses, dengue and chikungunya virus. Testing of the 3 viruses is important to determine**proper treatment, as patients infected with either of three viruses may present the same**symptoms. We will further develop a smartphone readout system that enables the**quantification and monitoring of transmission of Zika virus. A team consisting of an engineer**and two medical doctors is assembled to build and test this diagnostic device. Our**commercial partners have the infrastructure to build the device and reagents, test the**diagnostic systems, and to globally sell and distribute the technology for use in patient care.