Sensitive and Selective Determination of multiple Diagnostic Targets using a Modular, ASSURED POC Platform called ESSENCE

The sensor platform, ESSENCE, uses a Shear-Enhanced, flow-through non-planar 3D Nanoporous Electrode to overcome current electrochemical sensors limitations as a POC sensor, specifically selectivity and sensitivity limitations. ESSENCE consists of a microfluidic channel packed with a transducer like carbon nanotubes, functionalized with capture molecules surrounded by interdigitated electrodes. The porous electrode architecture enhances shear forces leading to high selectivity. The increased convective fluxes disrupt diffusive processes like the electric double layer, leading to rapid measurements. The enhanced electric field penetration due to the 3D electrode leads to a significant increase in signal from target molecule acquisition. The removal of parasitic noises from the double layer and the measurements at high frequency leads to substantial enhancement in the signal-to-noise ratio and thus high sensitivity. The unique chip architecture allows us to assemble the chip at room temperature (modular, solving cold chain issues). The transducer material can be easily exchanged to target different classes of biomolecules, thus giving making ESSENCE a universal modular platform. ESSENCE detects DNA and proteins with fM and pg/L sensitivity, respectively, against other background molecules in undiluted artificial urine. Interestingly protocol optimizations allow us to run ESSENCE in 10 minutes, making it a rapid POC test.Clinical Relevance—ESSENCE is specifically designed to be modular. It allows it to be a one-stop instrument for clinicians to screen for infectious diseases, liquid biopsy, and toxin detection to detect emerging pathogens while significantly reducing false positives and false positives negatives.