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Photonic system for liquid biopsy

Photonic system for liquid biopsy

Photonics device for direct and fast detection of altered genetic material (tumors, covid19, ...)

Market
Medical Devices
Sectors
Medical Imaging
TRL
3
Description
By exciting the sample with one wavelength and measuring the shifted light at another wavelength the amount of target DNA in the sample can be determined. While state-of-the-art liquid biopsy systems require the amplification of the DNA in the blood samples, a costly and time consuming process, our system aims on the detection of low levels of target DNA without amplification. We aim to achieve this by exploiting the usage of low light level sensors and the arrival time distribution. Therefore, we will, in contrast to current systems, use a light source which emits nanosecond pulses. Since the wavelength shifting changes the arrival time, a detailed analysis of the arrival time will allow to achieve new low levels of target DNA detection. The one-step detection system could detect purified coronavirus RNA with sensitivity of 90-100%. This detection system could detect purified coronavirus RNA with sensitivity of 90-100% and specifically 100% without the time- consuming reverse transcription and amplification steps needed by the diagnostic tool (RT-PCR) currently used for the coronavirus.