Student Presenter(s): Anjali Bhavsar, Zainab Mubasher, and Emaan Mughal
Faculty Mentor: Jacqueline Keighron
School/College: Arts and Sciences, Old Westbury

The goal of this research project was to design and characterize a fast and effective detection method for an analyte of interest, E.coli, in drinking water. These bacteria, which can infect our body’s cells and induce illness, can be found in untreated water. In this study, we will design a test strip similar to the COVID-19 rapid test and see how a targeting molecule, such as an aptamer, can be used in conjugation with gold nanoparticles (AuNP) to detect E.coli. We first conducted research on the components of a lateral flow assay. The components include the sample pad, where the sample comes in contact with the test strip. The conjugate pad, where gold conjugated antibodies are rehydrated by the sample, and where the target molecule binds with the corresponding antibody. A membrane, where the test lines and control lines are found, and the absorbent pad which catches the excess sample. The conjugate pad we created contained Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) conjugated AuNP as a preliminary test for AuNP flow. BSA is used instead of aptamars for simplicity and to test whether a flow assay with AuNP and BSA would function before moving on to aptamers. Further research would allow for these detection strips to be sent to countries that do not have the luxury of clean drinking water.