RAPID: A Surface-Based Detection Platform for SARS-CoV-2

Engineering - Millions are at risk of severe health issues and even death caused by coronavirus infection (COVID-19 disease). The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and an international public health emergency. In response to this situation, Prof. Stanciu at Purdue University aims to design strategies that will result in a point-of-need testing platform for rapid, sensitive, and effective detection of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in saliva. This project provides opportunity to students to conduct research that integrates electrochemistry, biology, and device design to increase fundamental knowledge for advancing biosensing technologies.

The sensor design is based on the measurement of impedance changes upon specific hybridization of surface-immobilized nucleic acid probes with target viral RNA. An important aim of this research is to understand the electrokinetics and fundamental science that strongly influence probe hybridization efficiency. This information is critical for achieving rapid (minutes), highly selective, and highly sensitive detection of the viral RNA (without amplification) under physiological conditions. This biosensing platform can be integrated into field-deployable devices or remote monitoring systems connected to cellular networks that will transmit information to disease control centers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.