2023-11-08 21:45:12
A new portable device of the type known as a “lab on a chip” is proving capable of detecting numerous viruses dangerous to humans with great reliability and remarkable speed. For example, it is considered to be able to perform the fastest test in the world to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Typically in just three minutes, the device, called LoCKAmp, produces results that are on par with those obtained in laboratories that occupy entire rooms.
The breakthrough is the work of a team including Sotirios Papamatthaiou and Despina Moschou, from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
This team believes that LoCKAmp’s technology could easily be adapted to detect other pathogens, such as bacteria, or even conditions such as cancer.
The device works by rapidly releasing and amplifying genetic material from a nasal swab sample through a chemical reaction that produces a result that can be viewed on a smartphone app.
Unlike lateral flow assays common during the pandemic, LoCKAmp uses the same “gold standard” genetic assay techniques previously reserved for laboratory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, allowing for the first time to perform rapid tests but with the level of rigor of a well-stocked laboratory.
Prototipo del LoCKAmp. (Foto: University of Bath)
The prototype, made with off-the-shelf components and factory-produced printed circuit boards, could be replicated on a large scale quickly and at low cost, which would benefit healthcare professionals and public health agencies around the world. a new and effective tool for virus detection.
LoCKAmp leverages a process known as RT-LAMP to multiply specific RNA sequences, meaning it can quickly detect the particular virus it’s looking for. The team states that LAMP detection is preferable to PCR, as it is more sensitive, faster and specific.
Papamatthaiou, Moschou and their colleagues present the technical details of their device in the academic journal Lab on a Chip, under the title “LoCKAmp: lab-on-PCB technology for <3 minute virus genetic detection.” (Source: NCYT from Amazings)
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