New method of developing diagnostic tests could help tackle future pandemics

Software which helps speed up the process of creating new diagnostic tests could help combat future pandemics, its developers say. A team of bioengineers and chemists in Scotland and China have developed a system which suggests new reaction pathways to accelerate the design and development of new diagnostic assays. The system, which is now freely available for other researchers around the world to investigate, adapt and use, can also be used to identify the early stages of non-infectious diseases like cancer, which could help patients receive more timely treatment. In a new paper published today , researchers from the University of Glasgow in the UK and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China describe how they developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of their system. They began by developing reaction graphs - representations of the biomechanical processes which enable rapid diagnostic tests like cross priming amplification (CPA) and loop-mediated DNA amplification (LAMP). Unlike polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, which require access to sophisticated labs operated by trained staff, isothermal tests like LAMP can offer quick, accurate results by creating interactions between chemicals and the DNA strands contained in patient samples and delivering rapid results at the point of care. However, in many cases, those rapid tests are designed and developed for a specific purpose, which can introduce unnecessary complexity and make it difficult for one test to be easily adapted for use in a different diagnosis.