Award

Endemic to impoverished regions, neglected tropical diseases and malaria are affecting over a billion peopleworldwide. Malaria gets a special mention, as it threatens populations in 91 countries worldwide, with 241million yearly cases and 627,000 deaths, per WHO’s 2020 report. Even when treatment is available, theinfrastructure of getting the patients diagnosed quickly is inadequate and disintegrated where it is needed themost. This is especially true for complex PCR-based methods. Our solution is a fully self-contained portablein vitro diagnostic device, actuated only by mechanical and chemical potential (no electricity or battery), thatis capable of delivering the sensitivity and specificity of a PCR test, with the simplicity of a rapid diagnostictest. Within the fluidic device, we combined synergistic molecular approaches for nucleic acid extraction, preamplification,and CRISPR-based detection. The intuitive user interface, with build-in controls and visualcues of the assay will make the assay simple enough to self-administer and interpret for the user. Our PhaseI prototypes reached the sensitivity of 10 parasites/ìL during the 1-hour long assay on P.falciparum culturesin blood. In Phase II, we are expanding our diagnostic capabilities to allow for Plasmodium genotyping aswell as detection of other tropical parasites.