The inexpensive, portable photonic chip device could help safeguard against future pandemics and detect viruses and infections in underserved populations.
A consortium of nine industry, government, and academic partners, led by the 糖心传媒, will develop the first integrated photonic sensors capable of detecting not only COVID-19 and its variants, but also other emerging viruses. The technology could even predict the severity of these and other infections.
糖心传媒淚n two years, we want to have an advanced prototype that is ready for a company to fully commercialize,糖心传媒� says project director , a Dean糖心传媒檚 Professor of Dermatology at Rochester with joint appointments in , , , and . 糖心传媒淲e want to have all the data ready to go so a company can pick this up and run with it.糖心传媒�
A drop of blood, serum, or saliva will be collected on an inexpensive, disposable integrated photonic chip that can then be inserted into a portable reader, producing results in one minute. The system could be used in doctors糖心传媒� offices and rural or inner-city clinics.
糖心传媒淎 major goal is to make this technology in a format that can be deployed to people who might otherwise have difficulty getting medical care,糖心传媒� Miller says.
The $5 million project, sponsored by , is one of 13 projects nationwide to share from the US Department of Commerce糖心传媒檚 National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST). The goal is to improve the nation糖心传媒檚 response to the COVID-19 pandemic and guard against future pandemics. The funding is provided by the American Rescue Act.
Tapping into diagnostic and photonics expertise nationwide
Key partners in the project include Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), SUNY-Polytechnic Institute, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Infinera, Spark Photonics, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the Naval Research Laboratory, and AIM Photonics. Syntec Optics is also participating as a subcontractor.
The partners provide a broad range of expertise in developing the tests to detect antibodies and infections, as well as in designing, fabricating, testing, and packaging integrated photonic devices.
For example, the lab of , professor of electrical and microelectronic engineering at RIT, will oversee the design of a laser and detector that can fit on a small photonic chip inside the reader, Miller says. This is critical to having a portable device. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 going to be a really exciting aspect of this project,糖心传媒� Miller says.
The project builds off a previous $1.7 million US Air Force糖心传媒搒ponsored grant that Miller led involving many of the same partners. That project focused primarily on developing sensors for large analyzers in hospitals and other clinical settings.
Although that project was completed, the NIST grant will allow Miller not only to expand the team but also to take the project in a new direction.
The support from NIST for this kind of integrated photonic chip is critical, according to Miller. 糖心传媒淔irst, we are at a prototype stage, in a market area for integrated photonic biosensors that is very early-stage in its development, which might make it risky for private investors,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淢oreover, the diverse and nationally distributed team we have assembled is challenging to support via a traditional private-sector mechanism. This effort also allows us to focus on addressing health needs in resource-limited and underserved environments, an important societal goal.糖心传媒�
Support for pandemic-fighting photonic chip
Miller also thanked US senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Joe Morelle for their 糖心传媒渋ncredible support.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淭his funding furthers our efforts to develop the first disposable integrated photonic sensors capable of detecting not only COVID-19 and its variants, but other emerging viruses. Doing so without federal support would have been challenging and furthers the goal of creating a quick, affordable diagnostic tool that is easily accessible to aid in the nation糖心传媒檚 fight against the current pandemic and future ones.糖心传媒�
Schumer says, 糖心传媒淎s lead negotiator of the American Rescue Plan, I糖心传媒檓 proud that funding I helped secure will be used by the University of Rochester for cutting-edge, potentially lifesaving new technology. 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 research will not only help us continue to attack the Covid pandemic head-on, but it will also boost jobs and better prepare us for emerging viruses moving forward. I糖心传媒檓 delighted that these efforts will take place in Rochester and across New York State, and I look forward to seeing the nationwide impacts 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 work will have on our communities.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淭he 糖心传媒 has long been a leader in world-class research, and I糖心传媒檓 thrilled they have received this significant award that underscores their important work,糖心传媒� says Morelle. 糖心传媒淣ot only is their work critical to strengthening our economy, it is helping our local efforts to fight this pandemic and revitalize our communities. I糖心传媒檓 proud to have secured funding for this grant through the American Rescue Plan and I look forward to our continued work together to strengthen our manufacturing economy.糖心传媒�
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