Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Integrating synthetic biology into wearables could expand opportunities for noninvasive monitoring of physiological status, disease states and exposure to pathogens or toxins. However, the operation of synthetic circuits generally requires the presence of living, engineered bacteria, which has limited their application in wearables. Here we report lightweight, flexible substrates and textiles functionalized with freeze-dried, cell-free synthetic circuits, including CRISPR-based tools, that detect metabolites, chemicals and pathogen nucleic acid signatures. The wearable devices are activated upon rehydration from aqueous exposure events and report the presence of specific molecular targets by colorimetric changes or via an optical fiber network that detects fluorescent and luminescent outputs. The detection limits for nucleic acids rival current laboratory methods such as quantitative PCR. We demonstrate the development of a face mask with a lyophilized CRISPR sensor for wearable, noninvasive detection of SARS-CoV-2 at room temperature within 90 min, requiring no user intervention other than the press of a button.
Source: Nature Biotechnology
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $11,390
Funders: U.S. Department of Defense, Harvard University, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Hansjörg Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Tata Center for Technology and Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
OpenAlex ID: W3175119564