Rapid and cost effective ‘on-site’ detection of Cacao swollen-shoot virus (CSSV)

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Richard Luxton discusses a simple, robust field based detection system to monitor the spread of the Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV)

Image courtesy of interviewee. December 18, 2023

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This video video discusses the development of novel technologies for rapid measurements, focusing primarily on point-of-care testing in biomedical applications. It highlights the use of magnetic detection techniques, particularly resonant coil magnetometers, which can detect paramagnetic materials. The process involves using antibody-coated paramagnetic particles to capture specific biomarkers from samples. Once the particles are mixed with the sample, a magnetic force pulls them down onto the measurement coil, allowing for sensitive detection of biomarkers.

The technology allows for quick measurements within four to eight minutes and has demonstrated high sensitivity, with assays detecting concentrations as low as 10^-15 molar. The apparatus is compact and portable, roughly the size of a mobile phone.

Relevance in healthcare is emphasized, especially in monitoring conditions such as COPD, where rapid testing can provide timely information to manage patient care. The technology is also being explored for environmental testing and plant virology, showing potential for widespread applications. Speed and sensitivity are highlighted as the key selling points of this innovative detection method.

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In essence, the, the aim is, is to take technology,

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novel technology

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and translate that for, rapid measurements.

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Um, we're thinking about point of care testing,

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but we've also used technology in the veterinary fields.

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Also environmental testing and security sectors as well.

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So the novel technologies we've been working on,

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mainly magnetic detection has being the old one,

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but now we're working on other technologies.

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But again, the aim for use in rapid detection,

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and I would say the,

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the biggest sector we've been working in at biomedical point

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of care testing or infections

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or longer term conditions, obviously.

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So the, the biggest technology

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that we've been working on over the last, decade

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or so is the detection of magnetic material used

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of resonant coil magnetometer.

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Now, this is, a little coil.

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We had a, a PhD student working on the design of this coil

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for, you know, three years or so.

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So it's been designed, so it has an electromagnetic field

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that skims a very sort of shallow,

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and it skims on the surface of a, a vessel

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that you place on top of the coil.

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Now this coil, will detect the presence

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of magnetic material or paramagnetic material.

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So we can use, paramagnetic particles

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and, you know, there's lots of those available.

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Uh, we can coat these particles with antibodies,

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and those would be to a particular target,

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maybe a biomarker, and we can take a sample

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and mix those with the antibody, coated particles

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and let them mix for, you know, 10 minutes or so.

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Then take that and place that in a little vessel

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with some buffer on top of the, coil.

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We can pull the particles down onto the surface,

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with a magnet so

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that the particles have been mixed with the sample.

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They've captured the target that we ought to measure.

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And with a second antibody that's immobilized on the,

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on the surface of the bottom of this vessel,

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which is sitting above the coil,

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as they particles get pulled down with the mark,

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with the biomarker, it gets trapped.

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So it is a bit like a, a sandwich test.

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So you antibody target antibody

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and the, the particle is acting a bit like a label.

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So you can remove the unreactive particles.

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Either they drift away through brain motion

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or we wash them away or pull them away magnetically.

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And then the magnetic material that's left

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above the coil is detected.

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It induces a change in the electrical characteristics of,

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of the coil and, effectively measure,

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production in the resonant frequency of the coil,

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that is related to the amount of material.

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So we can then relate that to the concentration of target

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biomarker in

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The sample.

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In, in essence, that's the, the simplicity of it.

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So it is very quick.

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So we can make a measurement in, you know,

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you know, four to eight minutes.

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Um, measurements are very sensitive.

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Say that the most sensitive assays we've been looking at

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to date around about 10 to the minus 15 molar.

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Um, and then that makes this technology very suited to

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rapid sensitive point of care testing.

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Just to say that the,

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the resonant coil technology itself can fit in a box,

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you know, roughly, you know, you imagine the, sort of

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the footprint of your mobile phone, but maybe two

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or three inches deep.

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So it's a very small, portable device.

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Um, and say we've had a lot of projects being funded,

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to develop this technology over the years.

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And now we've worked with various prototypes looking at

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cartridges where you just put the sample into the cartridge.

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And when you insert that into the technology into sort

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of the whole measurement system, if you like,

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it would move the sample through some fluid channels, mix it

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with the parcel and put it into

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the, measurement chamber.

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So, so it's come from some, a very simple, you know,

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one pot design through to more complex fluidic system,

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working with various companies

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and working to commercialize the system.

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Um, the funding tends

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to be very much more towards, biomedical point

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of care, testing.

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There's obviously, you know, the sort of,

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health crisis trying to keep people out of hospital,

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monitoring health conditions at home.

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So we see this technology as has been, really important

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for people's help, monitor their long-term conditions.

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For instance, we've been working

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with hospitals across the country to look at the development

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of rapid, detection system for, COPD,

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taking a saliva sample

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and measuring some biomarkers in that saliva

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to assess whether the particular patient is going to

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have an exacerbation over,

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over the next few days if they've been a bit appalling.

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So we see the technology fitting into that space.

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Well, at the same time, if there's other funding calls

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around, we would go down those avenues.

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You know, in particular, the,

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the plant virology, thing.

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Looking at, working with partners to develop the game.

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Very rapid testing point of, we call it point

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of test type technology, is a modern care, to actually,

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you know, you know, give the opportunity for somebody in,

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in a sort of field environment to do a test

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for plant pathogens or,

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or whatever speed's important because

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You manage your condition.

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If it's healthcare straight away, you don't, you know,

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traditionally you take a blood sample, we send it off,

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it could be some days later you get the result,

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and by that time it's too late.

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But if you, if you get an adverse reaction,

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you know it there, and then you can actually act upon that.

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So it, it's good for management of clinical conditions,

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management of pests, if you like.

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Um, so the, the speed is

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what we would call it selling point, speed and sensitivity.

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Rapid and cost effective ‘on-site’ detection of Cacao swollen-shoot virus (CSSV)

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