Food allergy is an immune-based disease that has become an important publichealth problem that affects both children and adults. In the US, food allergy affects 5% of children under the age of 5 years and 4% of teens and adults, and its prevalence appears to be on the increase. Globally, it is estimated that over 6% of the population, around 200 to 250 million people, suffer from some food allergies, affecting more than 17 million people only in Europe.
The main objective of this project is adapting a proven optical diagnostic technology to the clinical routine of allergy testing, addressing an unmet healthcare need within the laboratory and the clinic. The unique features of AllerScreening will allow clinicians to detect the main food allergies (approximately 90% of European food allergies) through a simple test using a drop of sera, reducing the cost and technical requirements of the current clinical practice.
This new and innovative sensing system for the in-vitro component diagnosis of food allergies will be feasible thanks to multiplexed disposable BioKits and an optical Point-of-Care reader which together will constitute the AllerScreening diagnostic platform.
In this project we are going to develop a new assay methodology for the early detection of AIDS through the detection of the p24 protein in blood, which appears a few days after the patient has been infected. Using our technology, we will improve the limit of detection in the recognition of target molecules.