ABSTRACT
Distributed "Point-of-Care" or "at-Home" testing is an important component for a complete suite of testing solutions. This manuscript describes the construction and operation of a platform technology designed to meet this need. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will be used as the proof-of-concept for the efficacy and deployment of this platform. The technology outlined consists of a one-pot, reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) chemistry coupled with a low-cost and user-assembled reader using saliva as input. This platform is readily adapted to a wide range of pathogens due to the genetic basis of the reaction. A complete guide to the construction of the reader as well as the production of the reaction chemistry are provided here. Additionally, analytical limit of detection data and the results from saliva testing of SARS-CoV-2, are presented. The platform technology outlined here demonstrates a rapid, distributed, molecular point-of-care solution for pathogen detection using crude sample input.
