Title of the project: Early detection and diagnosis of emerging biological threats

Acronym: MYP - Biosensor

Program: Science for Peace and Security (SPS) programme, NATO

Duration: 36 months

Start of the project: 2019

End of the project: 2022

Summary:

This project focuses on the development of a novel, portable apparatus for the early detection of viruses accidentally or deliberately released for bioterrorism attacks.

The research activities will be as follows: design and construction of a prototype device, based on an optical-fiber biosensor for virus detection in fluids; improvement of OPXV-specific antibody production by using different immunogens and different immunization protocols; study of the ability and limits of the device to specifically detect very low amounts of OPXVs in environmental and human-body fluids.

The expected outcomes are: i) a novel, portable, specific, and sensitive device for the fast detection of MPXVs in body and environmental fluids; ii) the synthesis of 4 poxvirus proteins of the envelope of intracellular and extracellular mature virions by the respective fowlpox recombinants; iii) the elicitation of MV- and EV-specific rabbit polyclonal antibodies to be used for the detection of the corresponding OPXV proteins by the above-mentioned device; iv) a live non-replicative vaccine and vaccination protocol to be administered by oral route for pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis in case of accidental or deliberate release of wild-type or weaponized MPXV.

Coordinator: State University of Milan (Nato Country Project Director)

Partners: Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel (Nato Country Project Co-Director); Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan (Partner Country Project Director).

Scientific Responsible: Prof. Carlo De Giuli Morghen [email protected]