The current coronovirus pandemic around the world has highlighted the urgent need for rapid and economically efficient virus detection. P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, in cooperation with SAFTRA Photonics s.r.o. and AUSYS s.r.o., proposes to develop a methodology for rapid, selective and highly sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which will be captured specifically on the surface of photonic nanostructure chips. Within the project, the chip surface will be functionalised by nanolayering of molecules of specific proteins developed by the method of controlled evolution of selected protein platforms. The formation of nanolayers of proteins on the detection chip will be carried out by means of controlled specific chemical conjugation to achieve optimal binding efficiency and reproducibility of detection properties. Once a sample of the inactivated virus has been applied to the functionalised chip, the presence of the virus will be detected on the basis of the increased ramanovsky spectrum by surface plasmamones. BioRAMASCOPE will be developed to detect the signal from functionalised chips. BioRAMASCOPE will meet the specific requirements regarding the required detection limits and operational reliability required for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus. In parallel lines, using advanced selection methods of protein engineering, we will develop artificial proteins as new biological entities with a new binding function that specialises in the specific binding of inactivated viruses. Based on the combination of binding different epitopes, we plan that this molecular platform will achieve high sensitivity and specificity to various types of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. This project, which will be implemented in Košice, will lead to scientific publications, “proof of concept” and patent, namely: I) “proof of concept” methodology of selective, rapid, inexpensive and in-situ detection of SARS-CoV-2 with immediate transmission of the result to the relevant database, (ii) functional laboratory prototype of detection system of various types of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 virus.
