Immunoassay for COVID-19 diagnosis based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering technique

• Grant number: 20/12129-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal researcher: Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior
• Grantee: Wallance Moreira Pazin
• Home Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Toward a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM

Abstract

The control of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus requires large-scale diagnosis for the population, mainly in the early stages of the infection. From the current tests, the molecular ones whose detect the virus are complex and have a relatively high-time consumption, while most of immunoassay tests are applicable only at the late stage of the disease. In this post-doctoral project, we will produce biosensors with an immunoassay strategy that allows the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the first days of contagion, using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering spectroscopy (SERS). SERS substrates will be obtained with Raman probes to which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) will be attached at one end and specific antibodies to detect the SARS-Cov-2 protein S (antigen) at the other. The SERS signal to be detected will be that of the Raman probe, which changes in the presence of protein S, ensuring sensitivity (SERS signal from the probe) and selectivity (specificity of the antibody-antigen binding) to the biosensor. The PD project, linked to a thematic project dedicated to biosensors (2018/22214-6), will be part of a specific line of research adapted for the emergency study of rapid methods of detection of SARS-CoV-2. (AU)