Cell Phone-based Lateral Flow Assay for Blood Biomarker Detection

The ability to integrate a sensor platform with a cell phone for health monitoring and disease diagnosis for astronauts in space has the potential to be cost effective and space saving. In this proposal, Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) builds upon its expertise in lateral flow test strip (LFTS) assays by integrating an LFTS with a cell phone for the quantitative measurement of blood-based biomarkers. Our innovative and extremely cost-effective multi-analyte LFTS approach is eminently suited for space travel. Taking advantage of the built-in flash and high resolution camera, in Phase I we have modified a commercially available cell phone with optical filters, lenses, a UV LED excitation source, and a cassette holder for LFTS image capture. In Phase II, we will expand the capability of cell phone-based LFTS for an antibody-antigen sandwich binding assay to include blood gas measurements by developing sensitive indicator films to be integrated with our cell phone-based detector. Furthermore, we will develop cell phone-based software for on-cell phone detection and data processing with an expanded panel of biomarkers, advancing the TRL from 5 to 7.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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