Stratophase has announced the completion of the Portable Direct Immunoassay Diagnosis Devices for Animals and Humans (PDIDDAH) project.
Using Stratophase's proprietary optical microchip technology, the proof-of-principle study aimed to assess the feasibility of using a self-contained, portable detection unit to accurately identify the presence of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
The project, co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, was performed in collaboration with the Institute of Biotechnology at Cambridge University, Bristol Industrial and Research Associates and Chelsea Technologies.
When testing the prototype in a laboratory environment, the unit was able to detect FMD quickly, easily and with a high level of accuracy, according to Stratophase.
If further developed, such a device could allow veterinary professionals, inspectors and farmers to make rapid, informed decisions at the site of infection during disease outbreaks, avoiding the need to cull healthy livestock.
To address this need, Stratophase has developed a transportable FMD detection unit utilising its optical microchip technology, which measures changes in refractive index (RI) at the surface of an optical chip.
During analysis, the sample is mixed with a liquid and pumped across the chip surface, where any FMD viral particles present bind to specific receptor molecules, altering the local RI and leading to positive detection.
The chips are incorporated into low-cost, disposable cartridges that are inserted into the detection unit during testing.
The research carried out as part of the PDIDDAH project has shown that the platform has the potential to provide a robust, rapid and accurate solution for the onsite detection of FMD.
