AgroPathogenMeter- developing a handheld platform for on-farm, rapid and, inexpensive animal testing

AgroPathogenMeter - 开发用于农场快速且廉价的动物测试的手持平台

• 批准号: 506300-2017
• 负责人: Soleymani, Leyla
• 金额: $ 13.99万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Strategic Projects - Group
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=694116
• 关键词: AgroPathogenMeter; developing; handheld; platform; farm

We propose to develop the AgroPathogenMeter (APM)- a platform for on-site, rapid, and inexpensive testing of farm animals for deadly pathogens. Today's state-of-the-art method for testing animals for infectious pathogens is based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR). While a highly accurate technique, PCR is a centralized lab-based test, which results in sample-to-answer times in the order of days. This long wait time can lead to the spread of the disease, unnecessary animal slaughter, and animal welfare issues. The Canadian swine industry, the producer of >100,000 jobs and annual revenue of ~ $8 billion, is highly vulnerable to emerging swine infectious diseases due to the shrinking of boarders, integrated farming practices, and increased mobility of people and equipment. Simple and inexpensive tools for field detection of animal pathogens do not exist both in Canada and globally. This adds to the difficulty in identifying the presence and the source of pathogen at the point-of-need. Our interdisciplinary academic/industry team will develop a new testing platform that will be similar to the widely known glucose meter in terms of simplicity, portability, and rapid sample-to-answer times, with testing times in the order of minutes.Our interdisciplinary team will tackle the difficulties in creating simple and inexpensive diagnostic devices that are sensitive enough for meaningful disease testing. This will be achieved by integrating innovative materials and devices pioneered by the research team. The system's analytical sensitivity will be significantly enhanced through the integration of specific biorecognition elements (DNAzymes) coupled with catalytic target recycling, hybrid bio-organic materials for reducing non-specific interactions, and high surface area nanostructured microelectrodes. The unique and interdisciplinary project will provide an excellent training opportunity for HQP, training them in acquiring techniques and skills relevant to multiple industry sectors with a strong presence in Canada, as well as careers in academia and entrepreneurship.

我们建议开发 AgroPathogenMeter (APM)——一个对农场动物进行现场、快速、廉价检测致命病原体的平台。当今检测动物传染性病原体的最先进方法是基于聚合酶链式反应 (PCR)。虽然 PCR 是一种高度准确的技术，但它是一种基于实验室的集中测试，从样本到给出答案的时间只需几天。漫长的等待时间可能会导致疾病传播、不必要的动物屠宰和动物福利问题。加拿大养猪业创造了超过 100,000 个就业岗位，年收入约 80 亿加元，但由于寄养者的减少、综合农业实践以及人员和设备流动性的增加，该行业极易受到新出现的猪传染病的影响。加拿大和全球都不存在简单且廉价的动物病原体现场检测工具。这增加了在需要时识别病原体的存在和来源的难度。我们的跨学科学术/行业团队将开发一种新的测试平台，该平台在简单性、便携性和快速采样到答案时间方面类似于广为人知的血糖仪，测试时间为几分钟。我们的跨学科团队将解决创建简单且廉价的诊断设备的困难，这些设备足够灵敏，可以进行有意义的疾病检测。这将通过整合研究团队首创的创新材料和设备来实现。通过将特定生物识别元件（DNAzymes）与催化目标回收、用于减少非特异性相互作用的混合生物有机材料以及高表面积纳米结构微电极相结合，该系统的分析灵敏度将得到显着增强。这个独特的跨学科项目将为总部提供绝佳的培训机会，培训他们获取与加拿大强势存在的多个行业领域相关的技术和技能，以及学术界和创业界的职业生涯。