The aim of this TSB/EPSRC project is to develop a point-of-care (PoC) nanowire diagnostic system to measure inflammatory biomarkers found in a small droplet of blood, and builds on results from EPSRC Nanotechnology for Healthcare project EP/6061696/1 (Silicon Nanowire Arrays for Viral Infection Markers). The project will develop a low-cost nanowire platform technology with integrated sample processing. Nanowire fabrication will use a novel top-down process and temperatures low enough for large scale manufacture on inexpensive glass or polymer substrates.
Our target application is the diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma, that are often exacerbated by viral infections. Using a translational approach, we will focus on the detection of a number of clinically relevant protein biomarkers of viral infection and treatment.
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