Specimen preparation

To create a truly comprehensive sample-to-result assays, preparation of adequate volumes of clinical and environmental samples must be processed to extract and purify nucleic acids. Our sample preparation methods, based on off-the-shelf commercially available materials, can be implemented with laboratory equipment and are compatible with microfluidic devices for use in field-forward settings. Our methods do not require large or energy-intensive equipment or microfluidic-incompatible steps (e.g., organic solvents, large volumes). By designing a workflow in this fashion, the product can be used in both the laboratory and near-patient markets. The method is rapid (<15 min) and has comparable performance to Qiagen kits. Testing with clinical NP swabs and blood specimens  have demonstrated efficient recovery of RNA or DNA that can be analyzed by PCR, microarrays or nanopore sequencing.