A new rapid ‘glow-in-the-dark’ test for infectious diseases

Researchers from TU/e, Fontys Hogescholen and Rijnstate Ziekenhuis have developed a new bioluminescence-based sensor that can detect tiny amounts of viral or bacterial DNA/RNA in samples. PCR testing – the highly sensitive gold standard for Covid-19 detection – requires expensive equipment, expert technicians, and dedicated laboratory facilities, all leading to test times of several hours or even a day. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, Rijnstate Hospital, and Fontys University of Applied Sciences have developed a new test based on a ‘glow-in-the-dark’ approach that could be used to directly detect DNA/RNA of viruses and bacteria with the same sensitivity as a PCR test, and all in just 30 minutes. “PCR testing is very accurate and was invaluable during the pandemic,” says Maarten Merkx, from the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), department of Biomedical Engineering, and head of the Merkx Lab at TU/e. “But it can take several hours, and often a...