Platform for development of paper-based lateral flow assay device for detection of listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes, which causes listeriosis, is one of the bacteria known to cause foodborne infections. Listeriosis share some of the common symptoms as other bacterial infections such as flu and fever which makes it challenging to diagnose. Some of the methods to detect the presence of L. monocytogenes include: traditional culture collection, measurement of biochemical indicators, using genes based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunological methods. However, lengthy waiting time and current methods with low sensitivities during detection lead to a lot of delayed treatment and undiagnosed cases of listeriosis which are the main causes of its high mortality rate. Paper-based Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) could be used and when combined with nanoparticles it gives favorable signal amplification hence achieving high sensitivity and selectivity for target analysis. Therefore, the objective of this project is to give a platform for the development of a device for detection of L. monotocytogenes using Paper-based LFA. The parameters that would be investigated would be the minimum amount of Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) that shall be used, effects of a competitive assay on the system, the different types of MNPs that is suitable for the device and the best method to measure the MNPs concentation. Through these experiments, the foundation of the device can be established, by deciding the mass of the MNPs, type of MNPs to use and also the method to measure the concentration of MNPs which is one step closer to the development of a device that detects L. monocytogenes.Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering