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Pandemic Preparedness Capabilities

Strengthening population health surveillance and epidemics monitoring by microsampling


PI(s)/Head responsible for the resource:

Claudia Fredolini

Host organisation(s):

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Resource description:

Minimally invasive biofluid collections through microsampling devices coupled with molecular analyses has shown the potential to enable large-scale population and epidemiological studies. Patient-centric sampling approach such as dried blood spots (DBS) could have a tremendous impact on the prevention and management of future pandemics facilitating monitoring of disease spread, virulence, incubation period, immunogenicity, impact of new variants and eventually resistance to therapy. Despite the increasing interest in implementing microsampling strategies in research, healthcare and pharma, the field still lacks widespread use of devices with robust and standardised protocols of analysis. The Affinity Proteomics Unit in Stockholm together with Schwenk Lab and Roxhed Lab has workflow implementing DBS collection to measure anti-SARS-Cov-2 antibodies and circulating proteins in the Stockholm population outside the health care setting. Leveraging on the impactful results obtained over the past two years, we now aim to open up the resources creating a population monitoring capability to support researchers, clinicians and the public healthcare sector with advanced protein analysis of microsamples. The capability will be developed in collaboration with Affinity Protemics-Uppsala, Autoimmunity and Serology Profiling Units at Scilifelab, and the Swedish companies Capitainer AB and Munkplast AB. PLP2 fundings will be used to (i) expand the instrumentation and personnel dedicated to the creation of a versatile tool-box of molecular analysis of self-sampled fluids; (ii) testing and implementation of new microsampling devices and alternative body fluids in clinical research; (iii) optimisation of analytical pipelines for faster, more versatile and efficient profiling of microsamples.

Research findings:

Scientists at SciLifeLab’s Affinity Proteomics-Stockholm Unit, KTH and KI are working to improve our capacity to prevent and monitor infectious diseases with pandemics potential (as Name of Project (s) - PLP2 027 - Strengthening population health surveillance and epidemics monitoring by microsampling - - Project(s) period: July 2022 - Prolonged untill: August 31, 2025 Main PI Claudia Fredolini, KTH Diarienr VC-2022-0028, COVID19). They’re developing and testing new devices to enable the collection and molecular test of biological samples (blood, saliva, breath) by individuals themselves in a minimally invasive way. A major achievement of the project is represented by the introduction an automated system for the analysis of hundreds of dried blood spots (DBS) per day. DBS self-collected at home can be tested for antibodies, protein biomarkers and other molecule facilitating remote monitoring of infection and reducing unnecessary visits to primary care visits and hospitals in emergency situation. Workflows and feasibility of the methods have been tested in the Stockholm and Gothenburg population, and also in a long-term study of children were the immune response to the COVID-19 virus was studied. In collaboration with clinicians at the Karolinska Hospital, a simple self-test for hepatitis is under development. Chronic viral hepatitis (B, C and D) represents a major public health threat causing an estimated 1.4 million deaths annually. Prevention and early diagnosis will play a major role in the eradication of the disease as testing is still very limited and millions of individuals live with chronic hepatitis without being aware of it. DBS sampling could greatly support an inclusive population-wide screening, enabling testing in different clinical environments to improve diagnosis rates, especially in high-risk groups. Looking beyond blood, the researchers in collaboration with industry partners are exploring other easy ways to collect samples, like the use of microneedles for skin fluid collection, portable devices to analyze exhaled breath, and nasal swabs. Finally, they’ve developed a way to study the surface proteins of intact viruses, which are crucial to understand how viruses infect us and the mechanism behind our immune response. The latest study can foster the development of new therapies for viral infection.

Impact on prepardness for future pandemics:

The capability developed responds to an extremely important need of our international society: to have easily accessible tools to enable promptly investigation of emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens and infectious diseases. Covid19 show how self-sampling and self-testing strategies are a strategic means to monitor infections remotely, reducing visits to public laboratories and consequently limiting further spreading of the disease.

Contact information:

Claudia Fredolini
Researcher
Email: claudia.fredolini@scilifelab.se