Development of lab on a chip for rapid and accurate point of care detection of COVID-19

在研制出疫苗之前，减少COVID-19传播的能力直接取决于检测和隔离感染者的能力。目前，COVID-19检测是在复杂的实验室设置中进行的，需要时间和将样本运送到指定的实验室。准确、快速、现场和护理点（POC）检测不仅在加拿大，而且在世界范围内对早期干预和感染控制至关重要。研制这种设备将对我们抗击COVID-19产生重大影响。大多数新冠病毒检测都是基于病毒RNA的定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）。PCR需要数小时才能得出结果，并且需要实验室设置。便携式等温核酸扩增和环介导等温扩增（LAMP）系统速度快，但成本较高，不适合广泛使用。另外，基于抗体的POCs具有成本效益，但它只能检测个体以前是否感染过。当前技术的这些缺陷阻碍了与COVID-19等传染性病毒的斗争，检测必须快速（几分钟而不是几小时）、具有成本效益、便携，并高度准确地识别感染者并控制传播。我们将与全国领先的电子和照明元件制造商APAG Elektronik公司合作，设计并生产一种基于电子传感和病毒载量检测的半导体芯片实验室检测仪。这种非pcr技术将从COVID-19病毒S蛋白与人血管紧张素转换酶-2 （ACE2）蛋白结合产生的电信号中检测病毒。该设备将通过具有成本效益的3D打印，丝网印刷和集成电子读数的组合快速制造。这项NSERC联盟资助将是温莎大学和APAG电子公司的研究团队之间的首次合作，通过结合申请人的传感器开发技能和行业合作伙伴的电子制造和分销技能，开发一种新的COVID-19护理点测试方法。

Until a vaccine is developed, the ability to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 is directly dependent on the capacity to test and isolating the infected. Currently, COVID-19 testing is performed in a sophisticated laboratory setup that requires time and sample routing to designated labs. Accurate, rapid, onsite and point of care (POC) detection has paramount importance not only in Canada but also worldwide for early intervention and infection control. Development of such a device will be highly impactful for our fight against COVID-19. Most of the COVID-19 test are based on quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of the virus RNA. PCR takes hours to reach a result and requires laboratory settings. Portable isothermal nucleic acid amplification and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) systems are fast but not suitable for wide usage due to the higher cost. Alternately, antibody based POCs offer cost-effective but it can only detect whether an individual has been previously infected or not. These drawbacks in the current technologies are hindering the fight a contagious virus such as COVID-19, tests must be quick (minutes not hours), cost effective, portable and be highly accurate to identify infected persons and control transmission. In partnership with APAG Elektronik Corp, a national leader in the manufacturing of electronics and lighting components, we will design and produce a semiconductor-based lab-on-a-chip detection that is based on electrical sensing and detection of viral loads. This non-PCR technique will detect the virus from the electrical signal generated from the binding of COVID-19 virus S protein with human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) protein. The device will be rapidly manufacturable via a combination of cost-effective 3D printing, screen printing and integrated electrical readout. This NSERC Alliance grant will be a first-time collaboration between the research team from the University of Windsor and APAG Elektronik Corp to develop a new method for COVID-19 point of care testing by combining the sensor development skills of the applicants and the electronic manufacturing and distribution skills of the industry partner.