Team 23

Portable Inverted Microscope for Point-of-Care Digital Immunoassays of Cardiac Troponin

Team Members:

Emma Petersen

Sonja Brett

Sean Tucker

Natalie Stevens

Tor Christian Tjorhom

Team Mentors:

Dr. Shaopeng Wang - Arizona State University

Dr. William Tyler - Arizona State University

Kelvin Ning - Nectero Medical, Inc.

YouTube Link:
View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting

Zoom Link:
https://asu.zoom.us/j/83161478219

Abstract
Troponin is one of the most effective biomarkers for detecting myocardial infarction (MI). In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death, so a prompt and accurate assessment of the patient's condition can result in timely diagnosis and treatment. The concentration of troponin in human blood varies greatly between individuals, from a few ng/L in healthy people to >104 ng/L in patients with cardiovascular disease. Because the baseline value of troponin concentration varies so widely, the changes in troponin concentration over time is often used for clinical assessment rather than absolute concentration. Currently, hospitals take three or more blood samples 1-2 hours apart, transport the samples to a laboratory, centrifuge the samples to retrieve plasma, and finally trained personnel process the samples using sophisticated, bulky, and expensive equipment. To shorten the time to reach diagnosis, a simple, fast, and sensitive diagnostic technique for point-of-care settings is needed for rapid quantification of troponin level changes at the bedside. The concept for such is a portable inverted microscope for point-of-care digital immunoassays of cardiac troponin. Using only 1 μL of plasma, the sample can be marked with 40nm gold nanoparticles and imaged under a digital microscope. The position of the stage, camera focus, and calculation of troponin concentration will be automated, making for a simple and easy to use digital immunoassay that provides point-of-care, high sensitivity, and rapid detection of biomarkers. With new technology on the horizon, the market for cardiac marker diagnostics is predicted to grow by 8.9% compounded annually. Due to its novel features, the product should be competitive within this market segment.