Grant: Alliance Grants
Université du Québec à Montréal
$50,000.00
Covid-19-Aptamer development as new diagnostic platform to increase drastically the number of testing by capita_x000d_ _x000d_
FY 2020-21
Summary
The development of fast and reliable tests for the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) is urgently needed to control the spread of the infection worldwide. To this end, we are unifying the efforts of research teams at UQAM University (Siaj Lab, Canada Research Chair in 2D materials for sensing applications) and Azure Biosystems (industrial partner, building state-of-the-art technologies for life science) to develop novel highly specific aptamers as recognition receptors for the detection of the emerging COVID-19 virus. The specific aptamer will be integrated and used to develop a large scale testing setup by combining a Flow cytometer and a high capacity Fluorescence Scanner (Azure Biosystems partner). Hence, the aptasensor assay for detecting the COVID-19 concentrations will be fast and straightforward and will require lower sample consumption than the traditional assay. By adapting Azure Biosystems technology, we can do 36 x (96 Well plates) measurement in 2 minutes. Thereby we will be providing a robust potential application for automated and high-throughput COVID-19 analysis in Human Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens. The resulting COVID-19 sensors will be implemented on a highly throughput portable colorimetric reading platform for rapid detection mainly in schools, doctor office, hospitals, borders and airports.
The testing process consists of both virus detection and identification by combining aptasonsors and optical imagers. Such findings will position Canada as a critical player in the control of this pandemic. The Siaj Lab and the industrial partner will benefit directly by obtaining the know-how and greatly expand their COVID-19's diagnostic knowledge for future applications. Compared to current technologies, the new diagnostic platform will be very specific to COVID-19 and will increase the number of testing/Capita drastically. This cost-efficient product will save lots of effort by performing the test in a timely fashion with a minimum risk of spreading viral either by direct contacts between patients or from the sample transportation.
Program
Alliance Grants
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
554163-2020
Name nom
Siaj, Mohamed
Department département
Chimie
Organization id
57
Institution établissement
Université du Québec à Montréal
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2020
Award amount
50000
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1201
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Life sciences (including biotechnology)
Area of application fr
Sciences de la vie (y compris biotechnologie)
Research subject code
6400
Research subject group en
Life sciences research related to human health and disease
Research subject group fr
Sciences de la vie liées à la santé publique et aux maladies humaines
Research subject en
Life sciences research related to human health and disease
Research subject fr
Sciences de la vie liées à la santé publique et aux maladies humaines
Installment
inst:1 - 1
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Covid-19-Aptamer development as new diagnostic platform to increase drastically the number of testing by capita_x000d_
_x000d_
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
The development of fast and reliable tests for the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) is urgently needed to control the spread of the infection worldwide. To this end, we are unifying the efforts of research teams at UQAM University (Siaj Lab, Canada Research Chair in 2D materials for sensing applications) and Azure Biosystems (industrial partner, building state-of-the-art technologies for life science) to develop novel highly specific aptamers as recognition receptors for the detection of the emerging COVID-19 virus. The specific aptamer will be integrated and used to develop a large scale testing setup by combining a Flow cytometer and a high capacity Fluorescence Scanner (Azure Biosystems partner). Hence, the aptasensor assay for detecting the COVID-19 concentrations will be fast and straightforward and will require lower sample consumption than the traditional assay. By adapting Azure Biosystems technology, we can do 36 x (96 Well plates) measurement in 2 minutes. Thereby we will be providing a robust potential application for automated and high-throughput COVID-19 analysis in Human Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens. The resulting COVID-19 sensors will be implemented on a highly throughput portable colorimetric reading platform for rapid detection mainly in schools, doctor office, hospitals, borders and airports.
The testing process consists of both virus detection and identification by combining aptasonsors and optical imagers. Such findings will position Canada as a critical player in the control of this pandemic. The Siaj Lab and the industrial partner will benefit directly by obtaining the know-how and greatly expand their COVID-19's diagnostic knowledge for future applications. Compared to current technologies, the new diagnostic platform will be very specific to COVID-19 and will increase the number of testing/Capita drastically. This cost-efficient product will save lots of effort by performing the test in a timely fashion with a minimum risk of spreading viral either by direct contacts between patients or from the sample transportation.
