iGEM Thessaly 2019: Odyssee

A modular platform for instant diagnosis of Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the 10 deadliest diseases worldwide, causing around 1.3 million deaths in 2017 and nearly 3 million people are left undiagnosed, each year. Once Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes the disease, dies in a patient’s lung, it releases DNA fragments into the blood that eventually appear in urine. We developed a diagnostic test that detects these fragments by targeting the specific gene IS6110. After 4 rounds of amplification including isothermal amplification, in vitro transcription/translation of a toehold switch and a colorimetric readout enabled by b-lactamase, the results can be visualized with a naked eye. Our design can be easily implemented for several diseases due to its universality and modularity. As TB is a leading health threat for populations affected by crises, our test is destined to be applied in refugee camps in Greece, as well as worldwide, making a step towards achieving universal health coverage.