Acoustic biosensor for rapid and sensitive COVID-19 antibodies detection
in whole blood and at the point-of-care
Funding: ELIDEK 2020-2023
Project overview
Project description
Our goal is to utilize the sensitive acoustic biosensor technology to create an immunoassay for the detection of COVID-19 antibodies in patients’ serum. The detection methodology should be rapid, portable, multiplexed, quantitative and automated. A key challenge of the work is the development of an immunoassay that will be simple enough to be performed outside the lab and close to the patients without compromising the assay’s sensitivity and specificity.
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Detection technique
The technique used to set up this immunoassay is a surface acoustic biosensor combined with a portable measuring unit. This acoustic biosensor tracks in real-time the binding of antibodies on a pre-functionalized sensor-surface by measuring mass changes (ΔF) and energy losses (ΔD).
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Immunoassay
The proposed immunoassay that will take place on the acoustic sensor surface will comprise the attachment of a synthetic Ag (protein S or N) followed by the binding of the corresponding Ab (anti-S or N) in serum; the acoustic signal detected upon 1st antibody binding will be further enhanced using a secondary Ab attached to a nanoparticle. The assay will be further validated using patients samples by our clinical partner at the University Hospital (UoC).
Figure 1. Left: Schematic representation of an acoustic immunoassay on gold sensor surface. Right: Acoustic signal amplification upon particle binding.
Work Package description
Dissemination
This project was presented in the “13th FORTH Scientific Retreat” (2022) and in the “Researchers Night” (2022).
Partners
This project is a collaboration between IMBB-FORTH and UoC. The IMBB-FORTH team consists of the PI Prof. Electra Gizeli, Dr Ilya Reviakine and Dr Dimitra Chronaki. The UoC team consists of Dr Alexandros Zafiropoulos (Corona Virus Unit of the Clinical Virology Laboratory).
