The National Science Foundation awarded a $220,000 Project Grant to the University of Connecticut under the Engineering (47.041) federal grant program. The award will fund development of a compact, field-portable biophotonics instrument for automated analysis and identification of blood cells impacted by COVID-19. The instrument aims to provide real-time sensing and diagnosis capabilities with high accuracy, specificity and sensitivity for potential early detection of COVID-19 infections. It employs computational multi-dimensional sensing and imaging at sub-micron scales to analyze blood cell morphology and motility changes. Machine learning algorithms integrated with mobile devices will analyze bio-optical signatures in blood cells to identify potential clues of COVID-19 presence. The research seeks to improve understanding of COVID-19 impacts on blood cells and provide a fast, reliable and low-cost testing mechanism with potential for widespread pandemic response. The award period is from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2024.
Generated 1/7/24, 7:11 AM