Project Acronym: PoC-BoSens
Full title: Label-free PoC device based on 3D photonic Bottle microresonators for real-time high-Sensitive measurement of disease relevant biomolecules
Project duration: 45 months
Coordinator: Dr. Alethea Vanessa Zamora Gómez/Frauhofer IZM
Contact: alethea.vanessa.zamora.gomez@izm.fraunhofer.de
Project website address: http://www.poc-bosens.researchproject.at/index.php
Executive summary
Each year 650,000 to 850,000 cases of Lyme Borreliosis (LB) infection are reported in the European Union. A number that is expected to rise due to the population increase of the tick “Ixodes ricinus” carrying the bacteria “Borrelia burgdorferi.” Fast detection of LB infection could drastically reduce the infected patient rate by supplying proper treatment in an earlier stage. However, insufficiencies and delays in current diagnostic methods are an obstacle to reach it.
The PoC-BoSens project aims to develop a portable diagnostic system platform for early detection of LB infected patients by using cell-based assays that rely on the quantitative determination of cytokine biomarkers. The diagnostic results of these biomarkers must be accurate, rapid (~15 minutes) and reliable. Thus Poc-BoSens proposes optical microresonators, especially bottle microresonator structures, in order to cover these requirements. Bottle resonators in combination with a biofuncionalization process and a fluidic microsystem give rise to a compact optofluidic biochip cartridge. This will be read employing a miniaturized readout device for detection of target biomarkers. The innovative PoC-BoSens technology can also be the basis for many other diagnostic applications.
A high-qualified multidisciplinary consortium is required to achieve project´s goal. The involved partners are from academia and industry: Fraunhofer IZM, Austrian Institute of Technology, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, MDX Devices GmbH, IFU Diagnostic Systems GmbH, Diarect AG, Scienion AG, Syel srl and Unitive Design and Analysis Ltd.
Final project summary
The PoC-BoSens project aims to develop a portable diagnostic photonic system platform for the quantitative determination of cytokines which are important in cellular assays. These assays are based on cell-mediated immunity (CMI), an immunological reaction to antigens by specific immune cells present in the blood of individuals, and consist of two steps: stimulation and cytokine readout. Cytokine release is the basis for the development of a number of innovative diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (Quantiferon™ (Qiagen) and TBSpot™ (Oxford Immunotec)), and Q-fever (Q-detect, Innatoss (NL)). The diagnostic results of these biomarkers must be accurate, rapid (~15 minutes) and reliable. Thus, PoC-BoSens proposes optical microresonators, in particular, bottle microresonator structures, in order to meet these requirements. Bottle resonators in combination with a biofunctionalization process and a fluidic microsystem give rise to a compact optofluidic biochip cartridge. The signal of a sensor array will be detected employing a miniaturized readout device for quantification of the cytokines. The innovative PoC-BoSens platform can also be the basis for many other point-of-care diagnostic applications.
A highly-qualified multidisciplinary consortium is required to achieve the project goal. The involved partners from four different countries are from academia and industry: Fraunhofer IZM, Austrian Institute of Technology, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, MDX Devices GmbH, IFU Diagnostic Systems GmbH, Diarect GmbH, Scienion GmbH, Syel srl and Unitive Design & Analysis Ltd.
