Scientists have been developing a new type of sensor that can detect the Ebola virus in a drop of blood and provide results within one hour.

Ebola biomarkers are exposed to an alumina membrane coated with aptamers. The binding of biomarkers to the aptamer-covered surface causes a change in transmembrane impedance, which is recorded by the sensor, shown here as four electrodes. Image courtesy of Marit Nilsen-Hamilton and Pranav Shotriya from Iowa State University.

Further development could enable this technology to rapidly and economically detect other viruses, such as the virus that causes COVID-19.

The Ebola virus is one of the most lethal of all known viruses, capable of killing up to 90% of those infected. To stop its spread, infected individuals must be quickly identified and isolated. However, outbreaks may occur in remote areas of Africa, where blood samples need to be transported to distant laboratories for analysis. This leads to significant delays in detecting new outbreaks.

This study will be presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting during the 2021 Virtual Experimental Biology (EB) conference, held from 27 to 30 4, by Dr. Soma Banerjee, a visiting scientist in the Marit Nilsen-Hamilton laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames National Laboratory research associate, and Aptalogic Inc research scientist.

The new sensor was created by a group of researchers led by Nilsen-Hamilton Nilsen-Hamilton, who is also the Chief Scientific Officer of Aptalogic Inc, and Pranav Shotriya from Iowa State University (Iowa State University).

This study involves interdisciplinary research, with researchers from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, bringing extensive expertise in molecular biology, virology, mechanical engineering, and bioinformatics.

The basis of the Ebola virus sensor is the DNA aptamer, which is a short single-stranded DNA molecule that selectively attaches to specific targets. To detect the Ebola virus, the team identified an aptamer that binds to the soluble glycoprotein of the Ebola virus, a protein that appears in the blood of people infected with Ebola before symptoms appear.

Existing analytical methods for detecting the Ebola virus require trained personnel and laboratory facilities for testing. There are other alternative technologies, but they are often difficult to read by personnel wearing protective gear or requiring special storage conditions.

To date, the team has demonstrated that their selected aptamer works well on a portable nanoporous alumina sensor. Furthermore, they determined that the sensor can detect Ebola glycoprotein in the serum of infected macaques, with results comparable to standard assays using Ebola antibodies based on ELISA.

Researchers are now working to further reduce the one-hour test time without compromising accuracy. Additionally, they aim to make the sensor easier to use, allowing personnel to read results without any special training.