Synthetic receptors known as Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) were engineered and combined with various sensing platforms to create fast and cost-effective analytical tools applicable for medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. These MIPs were targeted towards clinically relevant proteins as well as emerging environmental pollutants such as antibiotics, and then integrated with piezoelectric or electrochemical portable transducers to create sensors capable of detecting the specified analytes.
The resulting MIP-based sensors demonstrated the capability to quantitatively detect analytes within relevant concentration ranges, with rapid responses occurring within 15-20 minutes. Notable successes included the detection of neurotrophic factor proteins (BDNF and CDNF) as potential biomarkers of neurological disorders, as well as viral proteins (HCV-E2, N and S1 of SARS-CoV-2) for diagnosing hepatitis C and COVID-19. Additionally, the ability to detect antibiotics, including sulfamethizole and macrolides, in water at nanomolar concentrations was demonstrated.
One of the most notable achievements was the development of prototype sensors for rapid detection of coronavirus antigens from patient samples. These sensors outperformed commercially available lateral-flow immunochromatography-based SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests in terms of their ability to determine the concentration of the virus proteins in the sample, as well as a noticeably lower detection limit, which potentially allows the detection of infection at an earlier stage. Potentially, MIP layer in these sensors can be quickly adapted to detect virtually any pathogen, thereby contributing to the development of rapid diagnostic tests to address new pandemics.
Thus, the outcome of the project contributes significantly to the fabrication of affordable, precise, and rapid sensors suitable for point-of-care (PoCT) and infield applications, offering an alternative to expensive and labor-intensive methods.