The result is outputted on a smartphone-compatible app.

Fluorescence is emitted and quantified via spectrophotometer.

The ssDNA fragments bind to molecular beacon.

Argonaute cuts the dsDNA to generate single-stranded DNA (ssDNA).RNA is converted to DNA and amplifies producing double-stranded DNA (dsDNA).RNA from the saliva is extracted by an embedded chitosan capillary.Patient saliva is inputted into the microfluidic chip.The science behind the device is outlined in the steps below. The device utilizes microfluidics to increase runtime via the miniaturization of biologics and improves detection accuracy via the use of an Argonaute mediated nucleic acid detection system. cArgo is a COVID-19 microfluidic POC Argonaute mediated viral diagnostic device. Our solution to the problem is our 2-year research project called cArgo. Purdue iGEM masked up to address the imminent need for a non-invasive, rapid POC diagnostic device for COVID-19 and other emerging pandemics. The current tests on the market include nasal swab, saliva-based, and antibody tests, and their efficiency and purposes are outlined in the graphic below:Īs indicated by the aforementioned reasons and the diagram above, there is a clear need for a rapid, accurate, and affordable COVID-19 diagnostic test. According to studies conducted by UC Davis, conventional tests not only take between 1-14 days to get results, but they also produce false-negative rates up to 29%. As a result, the market is inundated with tests that are rapid yet compromised inaccuracy. Given the urgency of the situation along with governmental pressures, the majority of available testing kits were rushed to the market for production. Since the genesis of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies, and scientists globally have concentrated their efforts towards developing rapid COVID-19 detection kits as well as a vaccine. Coupling the biologics of cArgo with chip barcoding and app integration, the team hopes to revolutionize POC diagnostics while making data more accessible for simultaneous viral detection and contact tracing.Īs of November 9th over 1.26 Million people all over the world have died from the SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. Through the research project, the team consulted experts regarding the device’s design and safety and spearheaded an intercollegiate synthetic biology educational initiative. With limited to no access to wet lab, the team used programming to optimize the biologics of the device, developed CAD models of the microfluidic chip, modeled the adsorption kinetics of chitosan, and developed a heating circuit for the chip. These ssDNA fragments bind to molecular beacons emitting a quantifiable fluorescent signal for conclusive result determination.

The RNA is then amplified, converted into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), and cleaved by TtAgo producing single-stranded DNA fragments(ssDNA). The diagnostic device works as such: Saliva is inputted into the chip and viral RNA is extracted from it. The purpose of this project is to study the use of Argonaute proteins found in Thermus thermophilus bacteria (TtAgo) to develop a saliva-based rapid and accurate microfluidic COVID-19 diagnostic device. In an effort to provide accurate, non-invasive, affordable, and rapid Point of Care(POC) testing for COVID-19 and other emerging pandemics, Purdue iGEM is working on a research project called cArgo: A COVID-19 Argonaute mediated saliva-based diagnostic device. Current on-site kits have false-negative rates as high as 33%. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained global diagnostic capacities and highlighted the limitations of conventional lab-based assays, which can take between 1-14 days to receive conclusive results. Madhumitha Prakash¹, Hailey Szadowski¹, Miles Thompson¹, Andres Dextre¹, Matthew Chan¹, Jieun Lee¹, Dalton Saylor¹, Karthik Ravichandran¹, Ben Howard¹, Swagat Bhattacharyya¹, Xander Weintraut¹, Victor Pacheco¹, Alex Boyd¹, Casey Ernest¹, Pim Jitnavasathien¹, Ana Stenstrom¹,☮than Hillman, ³Kevin Solomon, §Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, §College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, §College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

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