Point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic devices enable access to healthcare in under-served communities that typically show higher rates of incidence for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD continues to be a leading cause of death globally according to the World Health Organization. One of the major problems associated with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction is the lack of sensitivity provided by the current standard of care, electrocardiograms. In order to improve patient outcomes, the development of biosensors to detect concentration changes in biomarkers of interest at the PoC are being actively developed.
As a part of the NSF-funded PATHS-UP Engineering Research Center and the TEES Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems, the overall goal of this project is to develop a Lab in your Palm (LiyP) platform composed of a handheld spectroscopic reader and a cartridge containing a recognition assay for cardiac Troponin I (cTnI). The novel recognition assay in conjunction with the low-cost optical readout platform can aid health practitioners in making the appropriate clinical decisions. The low-cost optical platform can be achieved by taking advantage of emerging components. The recognition assays utilize the unique properties of aptamers that allow for higher stability at an economical price in comparison to antibody production. The proposed LiyP system can provide the flexibility needed for multiplexed detection, which is important for health practitioners in order to accurately assess cardiac health among their patients.