Ultra-Low-Cost Paper-Based Nucleic Acid Diagnostic Platform

Jacqueline Linnes of Purdue University in the U.S. will develop a paper-based diagnostic test that can detect HIV from a pinprick of blood for use in low-resource settings. They will optimize sample preparation by using a series of filters that isolate the virus from blood. They will then test whether wax can be used for heat-controllable valves to move fluid through a paper network to extract the viral RNA, perform an isothermal amplification reaction, and enable visual detection. Reagents for the reactions will be printed onto a paper matrix and optimized for detecting low levels of virus. The printed paper platform is low cost and can be easily scaled-up for manufacturing.