Low cost paper-based biosensors for point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostics of pathogens

We will develop ultra-low cost, paper-based biosensors that can provide point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostics of target pathogens in various specimens. We will design synthetic HPV viral DNA responsive genetic circuits and validate their diagnostic efficacy in a portable filter paper-based cell-free gene-expression system. This can be freeze-dried and rehydrated and can produce graduated colorimetric outputs to indicate HPV subtype and load in cervical cell samples lysed by inexpensive non-ionic detergents.

Our findings will contribute to a solution for a major global challenge – providing kits for self-diagnosis of infectious agents, such as HPV, at home which are sufficiently simple, cheap and robust to be used in the poorest countries in the world.