Scientists team up to work on laser biosensor

Part of effectively managing the virus means providing the right medication

Dr Ahmed El-Hussein Cairo University

AFRICAN Laser Centre grant holder and CSIR Biophotonics senior researcher Dr Sello Manoto and Dr Ahmed El-Hussein from Cairo University, Egypt, have joined their laser expertise to work on a scientific research project that focuses on a “point-of-care photonic crystal biosensor for HIV detection and viral load quantification”.

“The aim of the project is to develop a laser-based photonic crystal that can detect and quantify HIV particles with higher sensitivity. Currently, there is no HIV viral load portable device in the market and our aim is to create one that can be used at the point of care,” said Manoto.

A recent study by UNAIDS showed that the number of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa living with HIV has increased by 71%. Those statistics show that, as of 2013, only 23% of routine viral load testing needs were met, with availability expected to increase to a mere 47% by 2019.

In many cases, systems and clinical capacity to get viral load test results and act promptly on results were also lacking.

El-Hussein said: “Currently, patients diagnosed as HIV positive are given ARVs immediately, with the intention of decreasing the viral load. However, accessible monitoring systems to measure the effectiveness of the medication are hard to come by in low-resourced communities.

“This is one of the reasons why a device of this nature is important; not only for the patient who may endure challenges of such viral resistance but for the doctor too.

“Part of effectively managing the virus means providing the right medication at the right time.”

Although viral load testing cannot alleviate the HIV epidemic, the accessibility of the device, particularly in low-resourced areas, has the potential to improve the quality of treatment and the life expectancy of people living with HIV.

This project is part of the CSIR’s Biophotonics Research group work, which applies a laser-driven, lab-on-achip approach to develop cost-effective point-of-care diagnostic tools to reduce the burden of the HIV/Aids epidemic on the continent.