Grants and Contributions

The project aims to develop and validate a fully automated, field-deployable system for rapid detection of biological pathogen threats in air and water. By integrating autonomous sampling, qPCR analysis, sequencing preparation, and cloud-based data reporting, the platform will enable near–real-time situational awareness for both defense and civilian bio-surveillance and community health monitoring applications.

À l'issue du projet, le système automatisé Kraken sera capable de prélever, d'analyser, de stocker, de transmettre des données et de détecter des bactéries pathogènes à de faibles concentrations, le tout en temps réel et avec une intervention humaine minime, voire inexistante. La technologie d'Ecoli Sense permettra d'éviter les rappels d'aliments liés à des pathogènes tout au long de la chaîne d'approvisionnement en identifiant la contamination par des pathogènes au cours de la transformation des aliments et en disposant d'informations sur la qualité des aliments en temps réel. Ecoli Sense prévoit de commercialiser sa technologie dans le secteur de la transformation des protéines et des légumes au Canada et dans le monde à partir de 2022.

The goal of the project is to optimize the automated DNA/RNA sequencing preparation device for size selection and reliability through design iteration and prototyping iterations and testing.

Pilot program to demonstrate the capabilities of the Kraken automated pathogen detection platform in remote Ontario communities. The platform will be built and deployed in northern Ontario community, where it will autonomously monitor wastewater for target pathogen loads.

The goal of the project is to develop a functional and automated DNA purification and preparation device. The device will automate the preparation steps required in DNA and RNA isolation and preparation for further analysis by other biological devices.

The goal of the project is to further advance the development of Kraken automated device by working on the development of mass manufacturing process in preparation for the entry into general market, as well as the development of a standalone DNA/RNA preparation device based on the methodology employed in the Kraken device for the laboratory setting.

The Public Health Agency of Canada and the National Research Council of Canada are seeking to facilitate the development of a field portable SARS-CoV-2 wastewater detection device that incorporates sampling, analysis, data storage and date transmission.

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, can be detected in wastewater either by detection of the virus, its breakdown products, antibodies produced in response to the virus or other compounds produced in response to the virus. Wastewater based detection of SARS-CoV-2 provides early warning to the emergence of outbreaks and can monitor community infection trends. Wastewater signals can inform more efficient public health action and help mitigate the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 to be successful in providing actionable public health intelligence these signals must be detected quickly, and directly at the point of sampling. Ideally a portable detection device would be compatible with multiple types of wastewater including raw wastewater, primary influent, mixed liquor, and secondary effluent (before disinfection). Current wastewater surveillance is hampered by delays along the axis of sample collection, sample transportation, laboratory processing and data reporting. Sampling upstream in the sewershed requires laborious and costly sampling to be useful. There is a need for a portable end-to-end SARS-CoV-2 wastewater detection device that can expedite this process. Such a device will provide rapid public health intelligence at both the city and neighbourhood scale.

The goal of the project is to develop novel strain-specific bio-sensors capable of distinguishing low concentrations of pathogenic bacteria in near-real-time regime. The sensor technology will be developed alongside automated sampling and processing platform capable of independent operation at a food processing and water treatment plants. The sensor technology development will include investigation of electrochemical and opto-magnetic detection technologies and will be based on company’s previous work in the area of pathogen sensor development.

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