Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Tests
Today, COVID-19 testing is still important as it helps identify infected individuals and facilitate proper treatment, and eventually reduce the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 around the globe. However, some issues remain with current COVID-19 testing for both COVID-19 test providers and receivers, such as long turnaround time, low accuracy of antigen tests and the discomfort of deep nasal swabs.
In the STAR lab, we are developing a handheld COVID-19 antigen sensing device with inexpensive disposable carbon nanotube sensor chips, which can provide rapid, accurate and low-cost COVID-19 antigen tests using saliva or even breath samples. Moreover, with the help of the automated sensor test system developed in the STAR lab, we are also building a COVID-19 antigen sensor array analyzed with machine learning approaches to create a fingerprint for each COVID-19 variant and allow rapid and reliable identification of COVID-19 variants.
In the STAR lab, we are developing a handheld COVID-19 antigen sensing device with inexpensive disposable carbon nanotube sensor chips, which can provide rapid, accurate and low-cost COVID-19 antigen tests using saliva or even breath samples. Moreover, with the help of the automated sensor test system developed in the STAR lab, we are also building a COVID-19 antigen sensor array analyzed with machine learning approaches to create a fingerprint for each COVID-19 variant and allow rapid and reliable identification of COVID-19 variants.
Detection of Drug Metabolites in Body Fluids
Opioid includes compounds that are extracted from the poppy seed as well as synthetic compounds with similar properties that can interact with opioid receptors in the brain. Among them, fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that is used as a pain reliever and as an anesthetic. It is approximately 50-100 times more potent than morphine. However, due to their pharmacological effects, the overdose of fentanyl can cause difficulties in breathing, and can lead to death, and the death rates due to opioids overdose in the US increased substantially between 1999-2019.
In human body, fentanyl gets metabolized to norfentanyl via oxidative N-dealkylation and to 4-ANPP via hydrolysis. Norfentanyl, as the primary inactive metabolite of fentanyl, can be detected in body fluids with wider detection window. Here in the STAR lab, we are currently developing biosensors using functionalized carbon nanotubes for norfentanyl sensing in body fluid such as urine, serum and sweat, to help combat the opioid overdose epidemic.
In human body, fentanyl gets metabolized to norfentanyl via oxidative N-dealkylation and to 4-ANPP via hydrolysis. Norfentanyl, as the primary inactive metabolite of fentanyl, can be detected in body fluids with wider detection window. Here in the STAR lab, we are currently developing biosensors using functionalized carbon nanotubes for norfentanyl sensing in body fluid such as urine, serum and sweat, to help combat the opioid overdose epidemic.