# Developing a Rapid, Simple-to-use Sensory Platform for Detection of Ultralow Concentration of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Particles Enabled by Electrophoretic Enhancement and Redox Cycling

> **NIH NIH R21** · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · 2021 · $590,800

## Abstract

Abstract:
COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains an
extraordinary global health crisis in the modern history. Meeting the testing needs for clinical diagnosis remains
an unmet global challenge. Simple-to-use, sensitive, and rapid diagnostics are therefore urgently needed for
early diagnosis of infection. The objective of this research is to design and demonstrate proof-of-principle of a
novel low-cost and simple-to-use electrochemical sensing platform to enable rapid, ultrasensitive and accurate
detection of SARS-CoV-2 virions in saliva (with accuracy ≥ 90% and total assay time < 30 min).
We propose to achieve high sensitivity through two complementary signal amplification schemes, by
electrophoretic concentration of virus-magnetic nanoparticle (mNP) conjugates by applying a small voltage on a
set of electrodes with sub-micrometer gap, and amplifying electrochemical current through redox cycling
between the same set of electrodes. Importantly, the proposed platform is suitable for commercialization by
leveraging a low-cost and scalable fabrication method to create the sensor arrays without using expensive and
non-scalable nanofabrication techniques.
Fast, sensitive, and accurate detection of viral particles enables better surveillance and control of spread of the
infection. The proposed platform is simple-to-use and suitable for point-of-care applications by eliminating
tedious RNA extraction steps as in RT-PCR methods. It can enable high-throughput testing by creating sensor
array on the same chip with small footprint to simultaneously analyze a multitude of sample droplets. The
proposed sensory platform can also be expanded to detect other infectious pathogens, including Dengue and
Influenza viruses, bacterial pathogens, etc.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10195022
- **Project number:** 1R21EB031354-01
- **Recipient organization:** PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE
- **Principal Investigator:** SeyedehAida Ebrahimi
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $590,800
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-21 → 2025-09-20

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10195022

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10195022, Developing a Rapid, Simple-to-use Sensory Platform for Detection of Ultralow Concentration of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Particles Enabled by Electrophoretic Enhancement and Redox Cycling (1R21EB031354-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10195022. Licensed CC0.

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