Korean researchers have developed technology to diagnose infections by Covid-19 variants immediately on the spot.

According to the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), a research team led by Dr. Kang Tae-joon of the Bio-nanotechnology Research Center has developed a biosensor that accurately and rapidly detects targeted genes and easily diagnoses Covid-19 infection using a smartphone.

“One of the counterstrategies for an infectious disease is to delay the spread of the virus through accurate and rapid diagnosis,” the institute said. “Currently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are used as the standard. However, it has limitations as on-the-spot diagnostic technology since it requires much time, equipment, and professional labor force to know results”.

KRIBB noted that the need for a biosensor is receiving attention as a point-of-care testing (POCT) technique that can rapidly analyze virus concentration.

The biosensor developed by the research team can rapidly and accurately detect targeted genes without the need to extract or amplify genes by combining the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genetic scissor technology, it said.

The new biosensor showed a 100 percent sensitivity and specification on a test conducted on Covid-19 positive patients.

“The development of a portable testing device through the convergence of biosensors, genetic scissors, and AI technology has great significance,” Kang said. “We plan to use it for diverse infection diagnoses through commercializing the technology.”

The research was published in the online edition of the international journal ACS nano (IF 18.027).