The Governing Council of the University of Toronto

Purpose

The Small teams Big Ideas project aims to address critical gaps in sepsis management by developing ARIADNE, a rapid, integrated point-of-care diagnostic platform. It integrates NRC's microfluidic technology with novel gene circuit-based molecular sensors, facilitated by machine learning algorithms for biomarker refinement. The project spans four phases: target identification and sensor technology development, target validation and integration of microfluidics and sensor technology, testing and performance optimization of prototype and clinical validation of prototype. The platform promises automated, real-time molecular stratification of sepsis severity and immune response subtypes, crucial for personalized care in hospital settings. ARIADNE’s design emphasizes portability, affordability, and ease of use, like rapid antigen tests but with the sensitivity of PCR, enabling decentralized deployment without relying on cold chain logistics.