Australia China Science & Research Fund Joint Research Centre for Point of Care Testing (ACSRF JRC-POCT)

Researchers at UTS, Wollongong, SUSTtech in Shenzhen and three Chinese Academy of Science institutes, along with Australian commercial partners, will combine their expertise in nanotechnology, photonics, diagnostics and rare earth elements to produce a next-generation portable point-of-care testing device.

This compact, low-cost and easy-to-use device will be able to identify very small quantities of molecules to detect genetic disorders, infections, foetal abnormalities, and signs of cancer development and progression. It will integrate a miniaturised microscope, a low-cost opto-fluidics chip and smartphone readout to position Australia and China at the forefront of innovation in diagnostic biotechnology.

Visit the JRC-POCT website

Patients in waiting room

Device and patient – D+I

The project

Researchers at UTS, Wollongong, SUStech in Shenzhen and three Chinese Academy of Science institutes, along with Australian commercial partners, will combine their expertise in nanotechnology, photonics, diagnostics and rare earth elements to produce a next-generation portable point-of-care testing device.

This compact, low-cost and easy-to-use device will be able to identify very small quantities of molecules to detect genetic disorders, infections, foetal abnormalities, and signs of cancer development and progression. It will integrate a miniaturised microscope, a low-cost opto-fluidics chip and smartphone readout to position Australia and China at the forefront of innovation in diagnostic biotechnology. 

Objectives

Creating this device demands significant advances in materials sciences, nanotechnology, interface chemistry, molecular biology, opto-fluidics, optical devices and in vitro diagnostics. These will be tackled by leading Chinese and Australian teams tackling four specific scientific objectives:

  1. To design and fabricate barcode beads and time-resolved, ultra-bright nanoparticle probes with great sensitivity in small samples;  
  2. To develop highly stable, specific, selective and biocompatible nanoparticle probes for simultaneous detection of different biomarkers; 
  3. To design and fabricate a high throughput low-cost microfluidics chip and miniaturised optical microscope for ultra-sensitive detection of circulating nucleic acid (CNA) biomarkers in vitro;  
  4. To manufacture a prototype portable point-of-care testing (POCT) device.

The project team