Research projects

T

he objective of this research project is to develop a tool for early diagnosis of infections based on the specific detection of genetic material of the pathogen that causes the infection.

Providing rapid results on the presence/absence of pathogens, as well as their unequivocal identification are mandatory. To this end, a Point-of-Care (PoC) tool based on the use of gold nanoparticles will provide a color change depending on the presence/absence of the genetic sequence (target) of the pathogen. 

In order to detect the presence of pathogens at very low concentration, development of a double isothermal amplification scheme is proposed. Hence, a first amplification step that allows “multiplying” the genetic sequence of interest to generate many copies will be carried out. Next, a second amplification stage will be performed in which the copies generated in the first stage will be detected using an amplification tool based on the use of nucleic acid enzymes. Finally, with the intention of making this isothermal system as simple as possible, it is proposed to immobilize the necessary reagents in lateral flow strips to develop a biosensor that allows multianalyte detection of several pathogens, providing a visual positive/negative response easy to understand by the user.

This project will be approached with a multidisciplinary research team, made up of chemists and medical doctors, whose results could have an enormous impact, since it would be a very useful screening tool to make rapid and reliable diagnoses, currently not available. It will be applied to a specific current problem such as the diagnosis of vertically transmitted infections in newborns.