Cell-based Sensor for Detecting Ebola Virus
Level - UndergradThe U.S. Government has requested preliminary proposals for the design of a device that can detect the Ebola virus. The device should be designed so that it is able to respond to the presence of the Ebola virus as rapidly and with as much sensitivity as is possible and is capable of remaining functional for two weeks or more in the field. The design that best meets these criteria will be fully funded to complete the design of the device.
The large biomedical engineering company that you work for has decided to compete for funding for this project. The company’s strategy is to construct a mammalian-cell based device that is capable of detecting the Ebola virus. Your team is responsible for developing the detection assay. Other teams will be responsible for implementing this assay in the field. You know that dying cells often lose their membrane integrity and release enzymes into the extracellular environment. Your team believes it should be possible to correlate the level of enzyme activity released by the cells with the concentration of Ebola virus that the cells are exposed to.
Your proposal (< 2 pages, excluding figures) must include a description of the following:
(1) the cell type(s) used
(2) the enzyme(s) to be detected
(3) how the level of enzyme activity will be quantitatively measured
(4) a mathematical model that allows one to correlate the level of enzyme activity to the concentration Ebola virus