PhD student, Ryan Johnston, aims to develop rapid and accurate diagnostic tests or assays that are also cheap to manufacture.
Combining paper-based microfluidics with chimeric flavivirus virions produced using the Binjari virus recombinant system, he is developing new-generation lateral flow assays for the detection of flaviviral infections, such as dengue, West Nile and Japanese encephalitis.
As proof-of-concept, his first-in-class field-based rapid diagnostic tests have proven highly sensitive and specific for detecting West Nile virus infection in Australian salt water crocodiles. This innovation will now be applied to the development of similar assays for flaviviral disease detection in pigs, horses and humans.
Figure One. Generic lateral flow assay format. Anti-species antibodies are covalently conjugated to gold nanoparticles and act as the reporter molecule. Dependant on the assay, antigenically authentic chimeric viruses are immobilised at the capture line, with a secondary antibody immobilised as the control line. Samples are applied and followed by a running/flow buffer.