Team:INSA-Lyon

iGEM 2016 INSA-LYON

Abstract

What could be helpful after a risky party ? Maybe to rapidly know if you did stupid things last time.
What if you could, in only 5 minutes, have the list of all the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) you just got ?

What you need to know is "Which one did I get ?! Is the HIV, the syphilis or the hepatitis B ? "

Very-Bad-Trip is a small paper device that detects markers in a very early state of the infection, and several at the time.
It's cheap, easy, and give you multiple answers very quickly to help you remember.

The diagnostic is based on an interaction between a pathology biomarker (a protein) and a specific DNA sensor (an aptamer). This sensor fixed on a piece of paper will allow, from a drop of blood, the direct diagnostic thanks to a fluorescence emission. Soon, our device will gather on a single paper chip several different tests, to scan all the most common STDs.

This project uses an innovative nucleic acid technology and a combination of existing parts, but no cells are used in this detection process.
Cells are only used to produce the genetic construction, using synthetic biology.

The goal is to build a simple, fast, eco-friendly, and cheap device that detects the most common STDs, and maybe, the drugs you took.
The proof of concept will be made with the HIV and hepatitis B.

RK: DO NOT FORGET TO USE CONDOMS !