NANO-AMBIENCE - 3D nanoporous matrix for ultra-sensitive detection of COVID-19 pathogens and organic compounds

这一伙伴关系的目标是开发一种新型传感技术，用于超灵敏地检测空气和患者样本中的COVID-19病原体和有机化合物。这是针对SARS-CoV-2疫苗还没有准备好，但由于国民经济状况和开放服务、企业的压力，隔离条件减少的情况。快速或即时诊断工具对于识别第二（第三等）波COVID-19大流行至关重要，并具有足够的及时性，以提醒卫生当局和一般人群，以便他们能够恢复隔离措施。到目前为止，还没有一种敏感的即时诊断设备可以收集和保存有机化合物，同时促进对几种分子（例如DNA， RNA或蛋白质）的高灵敏度检测。当前的聚合酶链反应方法至少需要几天时间，在大流行期间，这是不可接受的长时间。与我们的工业合作伙伴Tornado Spectral Systems （TSS）一起，我们建议探索一种以3D纳米多孔矩阵形式的解决方案，以创建一个监测环境中存在的颗粒或有机蒸汽的传感平台。潜在地，这种物质完全适合作为一个收集传感器平台，可以监测大气环境。这样的3D矩阵可以有效地捕获病原体；即使是单一的DNA、RNA或蛋白质分子也可以有效地捕获到这些基质提供的纳米孔结构中。纳米多孔3D矩阵合作项目非常适合此类应用，其中可以使用较小的采样体积。因此，从这项研究中收集的数据将进一步导致创建一个测试平台，用于快速测试小样本量，可以直接耦合到龙卷风光谱系统设计的当前拉曼探测器。因此，我们的目标是开发一种医疗/环境传感器，它可以促进有效的采样基质，同时能够捕获病原体并具有感知气体/蒸汽元素的能力。

The goal of this partnership is to develop a novel sensing technology for ultra-sensitive detection of COVID-19 pathogens and organic compounds from the air and patients' samples. The proposal is targeting the following scenario: a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is not ready yet, but conditions of quarantine become less restrictive due to the situation with the national economy and pressures to open up services and businesses. A quick or instant diagnostic tool becomes crucial to recognize a 2nd (3rd etc.) wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with sufficient timeliness to alert health authorities and the general population so that they can reinstate quarantine measures. As yet, there are no sensitive point-of-care diagnostic devices that may collect and preserve the organic compounds, and simultaneously facilitate highly-sensitive detection at a level of a few molecules presented (e.g. DNA, RNA or protein). The contemporary PCR approach takes at least few days, which during the time of a pandemic is unacceptably long. Together with Tornado Spectral Systems (TSS), our industrial partner, we propose to exploring a solution in the form of 3D nanoporous matrices to create a sensing platform to monitor particles or organic vapor present in the environment. Potentially, such a substance perfectly suites as a collecting sensor platform that can monitor atmospheric ambient environment. Such a 3D matrix can effectively capture pathogens; even single DNA, RNA or protein molecules can be effectively trapped into the nanoporous structure afforded by these matrices. The nanoporous 3D matrices collaboration project is well suited for such applications where smaller sampling volumes can be used. Hence, the data gathered from this study would further lead to creation of a test platforms for rapid testing of small sample volumes that can be directly coupled to the current Raman probes designed by Tornado Spectral Systems. Thus, our goal is to develop a medical/environment sensor that can facilitate an effective sampling substrate and simultaneously is capable of trapping pathogens and has the ability to sense gaseous/vapor elements.