June 14, 2021
Meet Sushanta Mitra, co-lead researcher on the 20-minute COVID-19 testing project!
Hi! I'm a Professor in Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering and cross-appointed to Chemical Engineering. I'm also the Executive Director of Canada’s largest nanotechnology institute – the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN). Outside of teaching, research, and administration, I keep busy with my three start-up companies!
What is your role in regards your research on rapid COVID-19 testing?
I'm the Principal Investigator of the project focused on designing the paper microfluids device for this testing, which works on the principle of capillary flow within porous media.
What inspired you to create this test?
My research group in the past has developed other diagnostic kits. However, given the urgency for testing and contact tracing for COVID-19, we realized that it is important to develop a sustainable and cost-effective solution so that it can be deployed in masses.
To learn more about the rapid COVID-19 testing research, visit Waterloo News.