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Development of the first rapid antigen test to detect flesh-eating bacteria.
You will develop a new diagnostic lateral flow test to detect Mycobacterium ulcerans, slowly growing flesh-eating bacteria that cause Buruli ulcer (BU) disease. The BU is a neglected tropical disease often leading to severe suffering, stigmatization and permanent disabilities in children in West Africa. Field-applicable rapid antigen test is currently missing, and its urgent development is one of WHO priorities in BU's successful treatment.
You will optimize individual components of LFA to develop highly sensitive diagnostic tests for clinical application. You will work on an interdisciplinary project in collaboration with ETH spin-off Hemetron AG. This fast pace project is ideal for highly motivated students.
o Under our supervision, you will build a novel LFA test by optimizing individual components of LFA, for example, antibody deposition, gold nanoparticle-antibody conjugation, LFA pads and membranes screening and respective buffer optimization.
o You will have the possibility to work with novel cutting-edge monoclonal antibodies developed by in vitro evolution at SwissTPH Institute to detect mycolactone, a small toxin produced by M. ulcerans.
o Based on our knowledge in biosensing, you will optimize the LFA test to be compatible with our novel, ground-breaking electrochemical readout.
o This project is enabled by a collaboration of the research group of Prof. Janos Voeroes (LBB ETH) with the laboratory of Prof. Gerd Pluschke (SwissTPH Institute) and ETH spin-off Hemetron AG.
o Under our supervision, you will build a novel LFA test by optimizing individual components of LFA, for example, antibody deposition, gold nanoparticle-antibody conjugation, LFA pads and membranes screening and respective buffer optimization.
o You will have the possibility to work with novel cutting-edge monoclonal antibodies developed by in vitro evolution at SwissTPH Institute to detect mycolactone, a small toxin produced by M. ulcerans.
o Based on our knowledge in biosensing, you will optimize the LFA test to be compatible with our novel, ground-breaking electrochemical readout.
o This project is enabled by a collaboration of the research group of Prof. Janos Voeroes (LBB ETH) with the laboratory of Prof. Gerd Pluschke (SwissTPH Institute) and ETH spin-off Hemetron AG.
o Optimize condition for efficient detection of M. ulcerans in half-strip LFA format.
o Develop a full-strip LFA assay compatible with field diagnosis of Buruli ulcer.
o Optimize M. ulcerans detecting LFA for highly sensitive electrochemical readout.
o Optimize condition for efficient detection of M. ulcerans in half-strip LFA format.
o Develop a full-strip LFA assay compatible with field diagnosis of Buruli ulcer.
o Optimize M. ulcerans detecting LFA for highly sensitive electrochemical readout.
jirasko@biomed.ee.ethz.ch
Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich
ETZ F75, Gloriastrasse 35
CH-8092 Zürich
jirasko@biomed.ee.ethz.ch
Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich ETZ F75, Gloriastrasse 35 CH-8092 Zürich