SBIR Phase II: Development of a Universal Platform for the Rapid Enrichment and Isolation of Viruses

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the introduction of a reliable, scalable, and label-free size-tunable enrichment platform technology for isolating viruses from field samples. This innovation improves the ratio of virus to host material in samples, enabling detection of viruses even in the early stages of conditions when viral load is low. The device captures and concentrates viruses in less than one hour, reducing the time required to prepare samples for testing and accelerating the overall diagnostic process. The ability to discover unknown or emerging viruses is critical for identifying new threats to public health before they become widespread. The device enables label-free, size-based enrichment of viruses, meaning it does not require prior knowledge or specific antibodies for the target virus. When used with next-generation sequencing, it supports the identification and genomic sequencing of previously unknown or emerging viruses directly from clinical or ecological samples. Hence, it can facilitate the rapid development of diagnostic tests and regimens to enhance preparedness and response. The proposed project aims to develop a novel, portable, stand-alone virus enrichment and isolation platform that enables high-efficiency virus collection and purification from field samples without the use of antibodies. Traditional virus processing methods require lengthy processing and large volumes of infected material, often resulting in false negatives at low concentration. The device under development in this project utilizes vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VANTAs) grown on silicon substrates and enclosed within a polymer cap with inlet and outlet ports. As samples flow through the VANTAs, size-specific viral particles are trapped within the nanostructure while smaller impurities are washed away. This process produces highly concentrated virus samples in under one hour, dramatically reducing preparation time and greatly increasing the sensitivity of downstream molecular analyses. As a result, the device enables detection even at the low viral loads typical of early-stage infections. The Phase II activities will focus on refining the device fabrication process to enhance reliability and reproducibility of performance, developing automated interface for sample processing, validating device efficacy with real-world viral tests, enhancing the device shelf life, and establishing robust quality control processes. Successful completion of the project should enable the transition of the device to a market-ready product. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.