Existing tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus consist of fast tests that identify specific viral proteins, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests that take several hours to process. Neither of these tests can measure the amount of virus present with high accuracy. In contrast, the teams analysis reveals the brand-new test could have false unfavorable rates listed below 1 percent. While this initial work was based on comprehensive mathematical simulations that proved the system can work in concept, the team is continuing to work on translating that into a working lab-scale device to confirm the predictions. Their strategy is first to do a standard proof-of-principle laboratory test, and then to work on ways to enhance the system to make it work on genuine virus diagnosis applications.
Using mathematical simulations, MIT scientists have revealed that it would be possible to design a sensing unit, based on quantum physics, that could detect the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Credit: Courtesy of the scientists, modified by MIT News
Sensor Based on Quantum Physics Could Detect SARS-CoV-2 Virus
Mathematical simulations show the new method might provide faster, less expensive, and more accurate detection, consisting of determining new variations.
A novel method to testing for the presence of the infection that triggers Covid-19 may result in tests that are quicker, less costly, and possibly less prone to erroneous results than existing detection approaches. Though the work, based upon quantum effects, is still theoretical, these detectors might possibly be adjusted to spot essentially any virus, the researchers say.
The brand-new method is explained in a paper released on December 16, 2021, in the journal Nano Letters, by Changhao Li, an MIT doctoral student; Paola Cappellaro, a professor of nuclear science and engineering and of physics; and Rouholla Soleyman and Mohammad Kohandel of the University of Waterloo.
Existing tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus consist of fast tests that find specific viral proteins, and polymerase chain response (PCR) tests that take numerous hours to procedure. Neither of these tests can quantify the quantity of infection present with high accuracy.
The sensor utilizes only inexpensive products (the diamonds involved are smaller sized than specks of dust), and the devices might be scaled as much as evaluate an entire batch of samples at when, the researchers say. Credit: Courtesy of the researchers
The brand-new method makes use of atomic-scale defects in small bits of diamond, called nitrogen job (NV) centers. These tiny flaws are incredibly delicate to minute perturbations, thanks to quantum effects happening in the diamonds crystal lattice, and are being explored for a wide range of picking up devices that need high sensitivity.
The brand-new technique would involve finishing the nanodiamonds including these NV centers with a material that is magnetically coupled to them and has been treated to bond only with the particular RNA series of the virus. When the virus RNA exists and bonds to this material, it disrupts the magnetic connection and causes changes in the diamonds fluorescence that are quickly spotted with a laser-based optical sensing unit.
The sensor utilizes only inexpensive materials (the diamonds involved are smaller than specks of dust), and the devices could be scaled up to analyze a whole batch of samples at when, the researchers say. The gadolinium-based coating with its RNA-tuned natural particles can be produced utilizing common chemical processes and products, and the lasers utilized to read out the outcomes are similar to cheap, commonly available business green laser pointers.
While this initial work was based on in-depth mathematical simulations that proved the system can operate in concept, the team is continuing to work on equating that into a working lab-scale device to validate the predictions. “We do not know for how long it will take to do the final demonstration,” Li says. Their plan is first to do a fundamental proof-of-principle laboratory test, and after that to work on methods to optimize the system to make it deal with real virus medical diagnosis applications.
The multidisciplinary procedure requires a combination of expertise in quantum physics and engineering, for producing the detectors themselves, and in chemistry and biology, for developing the particles that bind with the viral RNA and for finding methods to bond these to the diamond surfaces.
Even if complications develop in translating the theoretical analysis into a working gadget, Cappellaro says, there is such a large margin of lower incorrect negatives forecasted from this work that it will likely still have a strong benefit over basic PCR tests in that regard. And even if the precision were the exact same, this approach would still have a significant advantage in producing its results with a matter of minutes, instead of needing several hours, she states.
The standard method can be adjusted to any infection, she says, consisting of any new ones that might develop, simply by adjusting the compounds that are connected to the nanodiamond sensing units to match the generic product of the specific target virus.
” The proposed technique is appealing both for its generality and its technological simplicity,” says David Glenn, senior research study researcher at Quantum Diamond Technologies Inc., who was not connected with this work. “In specific, the delicate, all-optical detection method described here needs minimal instrumentation compared to other approaches that use nitrogen vacancy centers,” he states.
He includes that for his company, “were very excited about utilizing diamond-based quantum sensors to build powerful tools for biomedical diagnostics. Needless to state, we will be following together with excellent interest as the ideas provided in this work are translated to the lab.”
Reference: “SARS-CoV-2 Quantum Sensor Based on Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond” by Changhao Li, Rouhollah Soleyman, Mohammad Kohandel and Paola Cappellaro, 16 December 2021, Nano Letters.DOI: 10.1021/ acs.nanolett.1 c02868.
The work was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
By David L. Chandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
December 20, 2021