WIN COVID-19 Research Projects | Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology

Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) researchers are tackling COVID-19 and the public needs through its innovative and groundbreaking research ranging from new nanostructured antibacterial coatings for surfaces and protective gear, sensors for rapid detection and imaging, and battery technology to efficiently power medical devices. In near future, they are changing some of their research directions in response to COVID-19, which includes performing simulations to understand virus structure for therapeutics and vaccine discovery. WIN researchers are also teaming up with local companies to respond to COVID-19 pandemic; one research direction is developing fast point-of-care tests of COVID-19 virus in patient’s bodily fluids, while another is for patient monitoring using wearable medical IoT devices. These projects are being rapidly developed with expectation of a number of grant applications to NSERC Alliance and Mitacs COVID-19 fast track programs.

Development of localized surface plasmon resonance biosensor for COVID-19 antibodies in blood

This project aims to use a benchtop localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) instrument to develop an assay for simultaneous detection of the corresponding IgG and IgM antibodies from blood. Compared to the detection of viral protein or RNA, the detection of blood antibodies has a number of advantages such as longer detection window and understanding the immune response. This method can be made into a highly accurate high throughput assay for commercialization. This project will increase Canada's expertise in detecting COVID-19 infection.

PI: Juewen Liu; Co-PI: Sushanta Mitra

Funding Status: Funded by NSERC-COVID19

Testing of Antiviral coatings for COVID-19

There is an urgent need to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to front-line health practitioners and other essential workers during this COVID-19 pandemic. Studies suggest that COVID-19 virus remains viable on surfaces such as cloth (textile materials), metals, plastics, woods, rubber, glass, and papers for different duration ranging anywhere from a few hours to over 24 hrs. Therefore, it is important to device a coating material that would be applied to PPE and other surfaces, which would kill the virus instantaneously and its antiviral efficacy would remain for extended period. In this project such coating materials are developed and characterized for use in PPE and other applications.

PI: Sushanta Mitra; Co-PIs: Boxin Zhao, John Honek

Funding Status: Funded by NSERC-COVID19

Development of paper-based Rapid Diagnostic Kit for COVID-19

This project deals with the development of a paper-based biosensor for rapid diagnostic of COVID-19 virus in the saliva. We will use aptamers for specific binding of the target virus. The overall detection is based on colorimetric sensing. The team will work towards bringing rapid testing kits to the marketplace catering many end-users and would eventually save millions of lives worldwide.

PI: Sushanta Mitra; Co-PI: Juewen Liu

Funding Status: Funding by Mitacs

Rapid Mobile App Diagnostic Platforms for Detection and Surveillance of COVID-19

This project deals with the development of an innovative serology-testing platforms powered by mobile phone for rapid detection (less than 1 hour) of antibodies in blood of COVID-19-infected individuals. Two platform technologies are proposed to provide cost-effective, accessible results with rapid confirmation of positive results. The readouts from these testing devices will be automated using machine learning through a mobile app. Users will be able to precisely execute contact tracing and understand the progression of the disease for infected, asymptomatic and recovered individuals.

PI: Sushanta Mitra; Co-PI: Juewen Liu

Point-of-Care COVID-19 Saliva Diagnosis Powered by Digital Microfluidics

This project deals with the development of a digital microfluidic platform (DMF) for the point-of-care diagnostic of COVID-19 that simplifies the steps needed for virus detection. It will reduce the sample volumes, provide results in # minutes and it uses saliva instead of conventional nose swaps or blood samples. The low cost, and fast DMF platform, will provide businesses, institutions, and with an effective means of monitoring individuals to enable safe working conditions.

PI: Juewen Liu; Co-PI: Sushanta Mitra

Synthetic Infection: A safe and targeted DNA vector encoding a SARS-CoV-2 Virus-Like Particle as a durable vaccine strategy against COVID-19

A DNA-based vaccine platform is being developed that can be delivered through a nasal spray, targeting the COVID-19 virus and other viruses as emerge. The vaccine will work by using engineered bacteriophages, a process that will allow the vaccine to stimulate an immune response in the nasal cavity and target tissues in the lower respiratory tract.

PI: Roderick Slavcev; Co-PIs: Emmanuel Ho; Marc Aucoin

Funding status: Funded by NSERC Discovery, Trailblazer; Mitacs, and Mediphage in-kind; Entos Pharmaceuticals in kind

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NSERC called out to Canada’s talented researchers with their COVID-19 Research Competition to address the global crisis with a total envelope of $15M in funding. WIN members were recipients of eleven of these awards totaling over half a million dollars.

WIN Member	Department	Project Title	Sector
Marc Aucion	ChE	COVID-19: Inactivation of human coronaviruses in aqueous solutions using UV-C	Advancement of knowledge; Life sciences (including biotechnology)
Dayan Ban	ECE	A remote, high-throughput temperature monitoring system for COVID-19 screening	Human health (including medically-related psychological research); Health, education and social services
Scott Hopkins	Chem	Ultraviolet Photodissociation (UVPD) Spectroscopy of DMS-selected COVID-19 peptide residues	Human health (including medically-related psychological research); Human pharmaceuticals
Juewen Liu	Chem	Development of localized surface plasmon resonance biosensor for COVID-19 antibodies in blood	Human health (including medically-related psychological research);
Sushanta Mitra	MME	Characterization of nano-bubble enabled disinfection system for COVID-19	Engineering; Manufacturing processes and products
Sushanta Mitra	MME	Testing of antiviral coatings for COVID-19	Engineering; Human health (including medically-related psychological research)
Kevin Musselman	MME	Development of COVID-19 antiviral coatings for N95 respirators	Medical equipment and apparatus; Manufacturing processes and products
Michael Pope	ChE	COVID-19: Indoor light-activated, self-cleaning surfaces for continuous decontamination of transparent PPE	Human health (including medically-related psychological research); Materials performance
Mahla Poudineh	ECE	Purification of SARS-CoV-2 Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) Using a Microfluidic Technique for Downstream COVID-19 Vaccine Production	Biomedical engineering; Human pharmaceuticals
Michael Tam	ChE	COVID-19: Development of Sustainable and Compostable Face Masks for Enhanced Protection Against COVID-19 Virus Particles	Human health (including medically-related psychological research); Fibres and textiles
Mustafa Yavuz	MME	Real-time COVID-19 detection in wastewater from long-term care homes	Human health (including medically-related psychological research); Water