Fully integrated biosensing platform-integrating blood/plasma separation, digital microfluidics, and electrochemistry

最近，远程医疗和远程医疗保健有了很大的发展。尽管为患者与医疗保健提供者的远程咨询开发了数字基础设施，但缺乏家庭使用的生物分析技术。这些技术分析患者样本的健康或疾病标志物。在大流行后的虚拟咨询世界中，有一个重大的机会，可以在需要时使用变革性的生物分析技术。这是一个目前价值330亿美元的产业，预计在未来五年内将以两位数的年增长率增长。在这项提案中，我们将联合收割机多种创新技术相结合，这些技术是麦克马斯特大学和Verv技术公司数十年来研究开发的，首次解决了在需要时分析一滴未加工血液中的生物标志物的技术和科学挑战。麦克马斯特大学开发了一种生物条形码检测方法，该方法使用DNA/抗体组件来特异性靶向生物标志物，并释放电活性DNA条形码以产生电信号。该系统具有高度的灵敏度和特异性，可同时分析多种分析物。该测定目前使用未稀释的血浆，需要长时间的孵育步骤，并且使用新手用户难以遵循的一系列手动步骤进行操作。Verv technologies开发了一个获得专利的自动化检测平台，该平台旨在直接处理血液和少量样本，以缩短检测时间。在这笔赠款的支持下，将这两种技术结合起来，有望克服阻碍生物传感器从研究实验室向市场转化的主要障碍。这项独特的技术在加拿大的发展，最初针对前列腺癌的监测，将产生研究和开发和制造业的就业机会，并将积极促进加拿大的医疗技术景观。营销这种技术对于在加拿大和全球范围内提供高质量的医疗保健至关重要，并有望为医疗保健的提供带来公平。

Recently, there has been a great movement toward telemedicine and remote healthcare. Despite development of the digital infrastructure for remote consultation of patients with healthcare providers, there is a lack of bioanalytical technologies for at home use. These technologies analyze patient specimens for markers of health or disease. In the post-pandemic world of virtual consultations, there is a major opportunity for transformative bioanalytical technologies that can be used at the point-of-need. This is currently a 33-billion-dollar industry that is projected to experience double digit annual growths in the next five years.In this proposal, we will combine multiple innovative technologies, developed over decades of research at McMaster University and Verv Technologies, for the first time to solve the technological and scientific challenges involved in analyzing a drop of unprocessed blood for a panel of biomarkers at the point-of-need. McMaster University has developed a bio-barcode assay that uses DNA/antibody assemblies for specifically targeting biomarkers and releasing an electroactive DNA barcode for generating an electrical signal. This system is highly sensitive and specific and is amenable to analyzing multiple analytes at once. The assay currently works with undiluted plasma, requires long incubation steps, and is operated using a series of manual steps that is difficult to follow by a novice user. Verv technologies has developed a patented platform for assay automation that is designed to work directly with blood and small sample volumes to reduce assay time. Combining the two technologies, with support from this grant, is expected to overcome the major hurdles that have inhibited the translation of biosensors from the research lab to the market. The development of this unique technology in Canada, initially targeted to the monitoring of prostate cancer, will generate research and development and manufacturing jobs, and will positively contribute to Canada's medical technology landscape. Marketing such technology is critically important for delivering high quality healthcare in Canada and globally in a world moving to virtual care, and is expected to bring equity to the delivery of healthcare.