Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a tremendous impact on society as well as on the daily lives of individuals. In the “post-pandemic” era, it is important to strengthen efforts in research and development of drug and vaccine, while also continuing to uphold high standards of personal and environmental hygiene management. Therefore, an accurate and convenient COVID-19 testing method could certainly help ease the stress of post-pandemic life.
In 2020, an interdisciplinary research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) was awarded over HK$2.7 million by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) to commence research on a portable testing device for COVID-19 (the device). After one and a half years of extensive work, the team successfully achieved highly sensitive SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA detection based on the combination of reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and gold nanoparticles (as amplification result readout reagent). The clinical sample test results were in full agreement with the reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) standard.
The device accommodates up to six testing samples at one time. Excluding one positive and one negative control sample, up to four samples can be tested at the same time. Once the samples have been collected, tests can be run on-site using the device, without the need to return the samples to the laboratory.
