Diagnostics that provide amplification free molecular quantitation of infectious disease pathogens

We address priorities for diagnostics that provide amplification free molecular quantitation of infectious disease pathogens NCEZID PHS We propose to develop new molecular counting assays capable of detecting multiple infectious agents viral Dengue RSV Zika bacterial E coli Listeria Salmonella Staphylococcus aureus parasitic Lyme Malaria and Toxoplasma with molecular level detection sensitivity and quantitative accuracy The proposed InfectaCount assays consist of fluorescent nanoparticle conjugated protein and nucleic acid probes that will allow us to specifically tag and quantify without amplification discrete pathogenic entities in blood and serum Digitized molecular counts from InfectaCount probes will be processed using a unique multiplexed platform technology patent filed pending demonstrated to enhance the sensitive detection and quantitation of proteins of low abundance in leukemia patient blood samples We have identified rare drug resistant cells as measured by subtle changes in counts of phosphofunctional proteins a valuable feat that has been technically difficult to accomplish with conventional detection technologies e g ELISA FACS PCR This product has high potential to make commercial and health impact given the current strong focus of finding multiplexed strategies to accurately detect broad classes of infectious diseases of epidemiological importance