Project description
Rapid, accurate, and inexpensive molecular diagnostics in the field or in the office
Point-of-care (POC) rapid diagnostic tests are critical in the field, especially during infectious disease outbreaks. Unlike lab test results, they can also reduce patient waiting time and speed-up treatment. The global POC molecular diagnostics market size was valued at more than USD 1.5 billion in 2018 but significant enhancements are needed. One of the most sensitive techniques to identify pathogens at low density requires nucleic acid amplification. Currently, this process involves complex steps and temperature control along with reproducibility issues. FreeATPOC is developing novel methods for nucleic acid amplification to enable room-temperature processing and smartphone detection for fast, accurate, and inexpensive POC molecular diagnostics.
Objective
Molecular diagnostics is still primarily a lab-based method. Emerging technologies for application at the point of care (POC) or need, i.e. where a patient or a sample is, have started gaining a big part of the molecular diagnostics market. Interestingly, available methods are divided in two groups: sophisticated instruments for ultra-sensitive temperature-regulated enzymatic amplification of nucleic acids and extremely simple paper-based immuno-diagnostic kits. Complexity, the main disadvantage of the former, results in their poor translation to several applications at the POC. Simplicity, often accompanied by failures, of the latter is the reason for their slow adoption even in resource limited areas. Our vision is an instrument-free approach that combines the advantages of both groups, i.e. a method that does not use heaters or modules that require electricity, infrastructure and maintenance, but, still, takes advantage of enzymatically-amplified nucleic acids detection. To achieve the above, novel diagnostic tools for genetic amplification based on ligases, polymerases and restriction enzymes operating at ambient temperature will be developed, combined with quantitative smartphone colorimetric/UV detection. The global applicability of the new approach will be demonstrated during infectious disease (Influenza and HIV) testing in human samples (blood and swabs) and plant pathogens (Xylella fastidiosa) in plant-tissues. In all cases, we aim for a time-to-result of less than 60 min, demonstrated sensitivities down to the clinically/field relevant values and a final cost in the order of $1 per assay. Combination of Free@POC concept with newly developed predictive models will expand its utility to monitoring disease outbreaks and their spreading. This new generation of instrument-free molecular diagnostics is expected to revolutionize nucleic acid analysis at the POC but also in applications beyond resulting in substantial societal as well as economic benefits.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesnucleic acids
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesinfluenza
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIV
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsmobile phones
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
70013 Irakleio
Greece