Since the mid-1900s, a flesh-eating fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, has been condemning more amphibian species to extinction than any other pathogen ever recorded. Usage of diagnostics has been limited due to the testing methods being latent, expensive, and non-portable. The NYUAD iGEM group is developing a device that would let a user swab an animal at the point of capture and receive the result back in 30-60 minutes.

Wiki Link: http://2020.igem.org/Team:NYU_Abu_Dhabi

Credits:
Special thanks to New York University Abu Dhabi for sponsoring this project and Dr. Johannes Penner

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iGEMNYUAD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyuad.igem/

Title: Fungal Diagnostics

Abstract: NYUAD iGEM is developing a rapid, point-of-care, field fungal diagnostic device. Since the mid-1900s, a flesh-eating fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, has been condemning more amphibian species to extinction than any other pathogen ever recorded wiping out over 90 species and causing declines in at least 500. Similar fungal diseases have also been affecting other animals such as bats, disrupting their hibernation and leaving millions dead in their paths. Usage of diagnostics for managing spread has been limited due to the testing methods being latent, expensive, and non-portable. Following a rigorous approach at research and design, the first stage of the project involves prototyping DNA extraction methods such as bead beating and lysis buffers, reaction mediums such as microfluidics and paper-based biosensors, amplification methods such as RPA CRISPR-Cas12a and reporting mechanisms such as fluorescence and LFA, in addition to a database and API that can integrate with any existing surveillance system.

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