Development of RNA/DNA automated extraction and purification device for infectious disease diagnosis.

Genetic tests using RNA/DNA are the most accurate for diagnosing infectious diseases and assessing disease susceptibility, including COVID-19. However, manual specimen handling and the risk of secondary infections by medical staff highlight the need for automated equipment. Automation methods, such as bead purification, have limitations with high-viscosity specimens, while column purification requires complex equipment.

Complementary DNA display selection of high-affinity peptides binding the vacuolating toxin (VacA) of Helicobacter pylori.

Artificial peptides designed for molecular recognition of a bacterial toxin have been developed. Vacuolating cytotoxin A protein (VacA) is a major virulence factor of Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium inhabiting the upper gastrointestinal tract, particularly the stomach. This study attempted to identify specific peptide sequences with high affinity for VacA using systematic directed evolution in vitro, a cDNA display method.

A pressure-driven column-based technique for the efficient extraction of DNA from respiratory samples.

Currently molecular techniques are a broadly accepted tool for diagnosis and are able to benefit patients in clinical practice. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been especially incorporated into practical applications that are already in widespread use across the globe. With regard to the initial DNA extraction from clinically relevant samples, a number of commercially available kits are commonly used and are also designed to be easy to handle and less labor-intensive.

Design an easy-to-use infection screening system for non-contact monitoring of vital-signs to prevent the spread of pandemic diseases.

The outbreak of infectious diseases such as influenza, dengue fever, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are threatening the global health. Especially, developing countries in the South-East Asia region have been at serious risk. Rapid and highly reliable screening of infection is urgently needed during the epidemic season at mass gathering places, such as airport quarantine facilities, public health centers, and hospital outpatients units, etc.

Establishment of a reborn MMV-microarray technology: realization of microbiome analysis and other hitherto inaccessible technologies.

Background: With the accelerating development of bioscience, the problem of research cost has become important. We previously devised and developed a novel concept microarray with manageable volumes (MMV) using a soft gel. It demonstrated the great potential of the MMV technology with the examples of 1024-parallel-cell culture and PCR experiments.

Development of an infection screening system for entry inspection at airport quarantine stations using ear temperature, heart and respiration rates.

After the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, many international airport quarantine stations conducted fever-based screening to identify infected passengers using infrared thermography for preventing global pandemics. Due to environmental factors affecting measurement of facial skin temperature with thermography, some previous studies revealed the limits of authenticity in detecting infectious symptoms. In order to implement more strict entry screening in the epidemic seasons of emerging infectious diseases, we developed an infection screening system for airport quarantines using multi-parameter vital signs.