Dr. Stephanie McCalla (Dept. of Chemical & Biological Engineering, MSU)

2/22/2024  3:10pm

Abstract:

Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are a cornerstone of diagnostic medicine. Due to the low concentration of nucleic acids in clinical samples, most assays require a chemical amplification step to provide a detectable signal. Our amplification methods are rapid and run at a single temperature like many emerging techniques; they are unique in their nonlinear signal output. This talk will describe mathematical models to rationally analyze and design new assays that provide a large, definitive signal output. Stochasticity can account for low probability reaction initiation and digital (single molecule) amplification. These models can be used with amplification data to build new reaction schemes and to uncover critical reaction mechanisms and associated kinetic parameters.