Detection of C. parvum Transposons in Potable Water Using Genetically Engineered Bioelectric Sensors

Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis(Crypto) has a substantial health impact globally, particularly in lower-income countries and is the most common cause of waterborne disease in the world. My inspiration was drawn from Kakuma refugee-camp who commonly find cryptosporidium, also known as C.parvum, in their water. Current methods for detecting cryptosporidium require filtering large volumes of water and identifying the pathogen using a microscope. With genetic-engineering, the research goal is to develop a real-time solution for common people to indicate the presence of C.parvum in potable-water. The proposed solution uses CRISPR-cas9 to edit B. cereus microbe genetically, trigger a bioremediation pathway, and release an electrical impulse when C.parvum is identified. Gold-based electrodes and voltmetric transducers convert electrical impulse values into a digital voltage displayed as a directional result in a mobile-phone app. My work involved simulating the creation of a genetically-engineered B.cereus microbe and creating a correlation-map between the concentration of C.parvum and voltage released. A device was designed to measure the electric impulse using a biosensor. The detection works without the need for complex preparations and highly-trained technicians. In future, the test-results will be verified with the device-prototype. The solution can be expanded to detect other parasitic contaminants.

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