Arizona State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Harvard College

University of Toronto

Keith Pardee

Alexander A Green

James Joseph Collins

Margot Karlikow

Melissa K Takahashi

Thomas Ferrante

Dana Braff

Guillaume Lambert

Masoud Norouzi

Evan Amalfitano

Kaiyue Wu

Described are methods for generating a reporter molecule in response to a target analyte in a cell-free system. A synthetic biological circuit is used to modify the level of the reporter molecule in response to the presence of the target analyte. The reporter molecule may be glucose or another molecule readily detected using a device such as glucose monitor or other portable sensor. Also provided are kits comprising a cell-free system with a synthetic biological circuit that generates or consumes a reporter molecule in response to a target analyte.

Methods for detecting target analytes using synthetic biological circuits that modify glucose levels in a cell-free system

Methods for detecting the presence of a pathogen infection are described. In particular, this document provides a method of detecting target nucleic acids, such as pathogen-specific RNA, in a biological sample obtained from a subject, where the method comprises using one or more toehold switch sensors and an isothermal amplification step to detect the target nucleic acid. Methods specific for detecting and identify the presence of a virus such as Zika virus are also provided.

Portable, low-cost pathogen detection and strain identification platform

Provided herein are methods and compositions for rapid, highly sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in biological samples. In particular, provided herein is a rapid, low-cost method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 that provides reliable, visible test results and does not require PCR reagents, elaborate biosafety precautions, or sophisticated laboratory equipment.

Rapid low-cost detection of SARS-CoV-2 using isothermal amplification and sensing methods

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Toronto, Canada

Keith Pardee