Droplet-PCR point-of-care device for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 and differentiation from influenza

诊断病毒感染的金标准方法是实时逆转录聚合酶链式反应(RRT-PCR)。然而，几乎所有的RRT-PCR测试都需要在实验室环境中由熟练的人员使用昂贵的设备进行，这使得它远远不能实现远程和基于家庭的PCR检测。我们迫切需要新一代基于聚合酶链式反应的检测方法，不仅能够进行快速、非常准确的检测，而且能够用于PoC和家庭使用，并且能够区分不同的病毒和细菌感染，这就需要更好的多路复用和多目标测试。在这个项目中，我们将与Acumol合作，使用集成的数字液滴微流控和微电子系统来开发一种低成本、便携式、自主和高精度的液滴聚合酶链式反应(d-PCR)设备，可以检测SARS-CoV-2并将其与其他病毒感染区分开来。该项目的成果将是1)生产针对SARS-CoV-2 RNA的功能性RNA扩增PoC设备；2)开发d-PCR协议，用于选择性地将新冠肺炎与其他病毒感染区分开来；3)增加该领域的知识产权并利用不同类别IP的背景专利；4)通过在高质量的生物医学工程杂志上发表文章来传播技术进步和科学知识。该项目开发的d-PCR和检测方案将有助于实施新的护理点检测，以快速检测SARS-CoV-2，并将其与其他病毒感染区分开来，满足加拿大对病毒传染病暴发做出快速反应的需要。一名具有生物医学工程背景的博士生将在项目过程中接受培训，直接由申请的资金支持。

The gold standard method for the diagnosis of viral infections is real-time reverse transcription Polymeric Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR). However, almost all rRT-PCR tests need to be done by skilled personnel in the lab setting and with expensive devices, making it far from a point-of-care (PoC) devices to enable remote- and home-based PCR testing. There is a pressing need for the next generation of PCR-based detection assays that not only are able to perform rapid, very accurate, and for PoC and home-based uses for detection of SARS-CoV-2 but also capable of differentiating among different viral and bacterial infections, necessitating the need to better multiplexing and multi-target testing.In the partnership with Accumol in this project, we will use integrated digital droplet microfluidics and microelectronic systems to develop a low-cost, portable, autonomous, and highly accurate droplet PCR (d-PCR) device that can detect SARS-CoV-2 and differentiate it from other viral infections. The deliverable of this project would be to 1) produce functional RNA amplification PoC device-specific to target SARS-CoV-2 RNAs; 2) develop d-PCR protocols useful for selective differentiation of COVID-19 from other viral infections; 3) increase intellectual property in this area and leverage the background patents on distinct categories of IPs, and 4) disseminate technological progress and scientific knowledge through publications in a high-caliber biomedical engineering journal. The d-PCR and detection protocols developed in this project will contribute to implementing new point-of-care testing for rapidly detecting SARS-CoV-2 and differentiate it from other viral infections, addressing the need for Rapid Response to viral infectious disease outbreaks in Canada. One Ph.D. student with a background in biomedical engineering will be trained over the course of the project, directly supported by the requested funding.