Development of a rapid, reliable diagnostic test for COVID-19
Development of a rapid, reliable diagnostic test for COVID-19
Project Overview
Detection of COVID-19 in humans is and will continue to be crucial in reducing the spread of infection.
Diagnostic technology and techniques are currently effective in detecting COVID-19; however are expensive, have suboptimal false negative rates and can take days to produce results.
Dr Daman Langguth, Clinical Immunologist at The Wesley Hospital, is leading a research study to investigate and develop a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic test for COVID-19.
The current preferred method for diagnosing COVID-19 is through virus DNA detection in biological samples (nasopharyngeal and throat swabs). This current method is time-consuming, requires complex laboratory techniques, and can produce unreliable results.
This phase of the project intends to confirm acceptable selectivity and identification of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in a small patient sample. This finding will then be validated in future research.
Estimated completion
Feb 2021
Phase 1 Patients
10 Patients
Location
The Wesley Hospital
Project Aim
This novel research study is exploring the use of a novel diagnostic technology to rapidly and accurately diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 antigen within minutes instead of days.
It is intended that the time to produce a result from the input of a swab sample with this novel technique will be within 30mins, possibly even much shorter; with a very low cost per test, and the ability to commercialise as a highly automated point-of-care rapid testing platform. The technology being evaluated utilises nanomaterial as well as specialised spectroscopy for sensitive and selective detection or exclusion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself.
Project Impact
If successful, this technology would be rapidly implemented into a commercial, automated platform for rapid, accurate, low-cost testing for COVID-19 using nasal, throat and saliva samples, which could yield a result within 60 minutes of specimen collection. This would permit screening on a large scale, for example prior to admission for surgery, or prior to boarding a plane.
Rapid diagnostic testing would mean that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, or potential exposure to COVID-19, could be rapidly cleared within an hour (rather than days) to return to their normal lives, rather than having to self-isolate while awaiting results. Overall, this could facilitate recovery of local, state and national businesses and economies as we continue to live with this life-threatening virus.
Researchers
Improving the speed and accuracy of diagnosing COVID-19 will impact how quickly we can contain this virus until there is an effective treatment.
Co-Investigators
- Dr Emad Kiriakous, Queensland University of Technology
