Student Research Reports

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Efficient diagnostics have the potential to subside epidemics and global mortality rates- particularly in the context of Flaviviridae, a family of deadly, vector-borne viruses spread by mosquitoes. Current biosensors being used to detect the presence of Flaviviridae require two components: a biological component such as a protein, and a technological component to create a measurable signal. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensors effectively diagnose Flaviviridae from the point of care using quick, portable methods; however, these tools cannot diagnose a specific disease due to the structural similarities within Flaviviridae. They are also more economical due to their materials not being single-use as opposed to fluorescence-based devices. Fluorescence-based devices are accurate, however, the requirements of this method reduce its portability and increase potential costs. We hypothesized that either SPR or fluorescence contrast methods are more optimal in determining the presence of Flaviviridae, depending on SEES data patterns from the GLOBE Observer app. Based on data observations, we predict that implementing fluorescence-based biosensors in densely populated urban areas will be more efficient, as this biosensing method is more accurate at determining a specific disease within a large population, and do not require the flexibility and portability of SPR-based biosensors.