HKUST researchers develop 30-minute CRISPR testing platform

Researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have developed TEMPO, a “one-pot” CRISPR-based testing platform. Published in Nature Communications, the study describes a method that integrates genetic amplification and detection into a single reaction tube, capable of delivering results in approximately 30 minutes.

The platform aims to bridge the gap between rapid antigen tests, which are easy to use but less sensitive, and laboratory-based PCR tests, which are highly sensitive but require significant infrastructure. TEMPO achieves high sensitivity by using DNA primers with distinct thermodynamic properties; one primer facilitates initial amplification, while the second remains inactive until enough product has accumulated to trigger the CRISPR detection sequence.

TEMPO has demonstrated effectiveness in detecting various viral infections, including COVID-19, influenza, and HIV, and holds potential for rapid screening of hereditary diseases and point-of-care SNP genotyping.