Freeze-dried genetic circuits could reveal the presence of SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, MRSA, and more.
Masks and testing have been key to the COVID-19 pandemic response—and now devices that combine the two may be on the way. Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers used synthetic biology to create a face mask that accurately detects the COVID-causing virus.
Synthetic biologists use biological parts to build various devices, including sensors that detect genetic sequences. Previous efforts have used engineered bacteria in these sensors, but living cells bring challenges (like keeping them fed) and biohazard risks. The new research makes wearable devices with freeze-dried “cell-free” circuits built from genes, enzymes and other cell components, which can be placed on porous, flexible materials and easily stored. (The researchers described adding such circuits to paper in 2014.) “This work’s important advance is converting bench-top technology to wearable devices,” says bioengineer Xinyue Liu, who develops living sensors at M.I.T. and was not part of the new study. Such tools could allow for simplified on-site testing.
The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, describes adding cell-free sensors to elastics, textile threads and paper to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), Ebola virus, MRSA, a chemical nerve agent and more. Some of these sensors, including those used in the new face mask that flags SARS-CoV-2, rely on CRISPR technology: When “guide” RNAs match target DNA, they activate an enzyme that cuts the nucleic acids (the DNA “letters”). This particular enzyme also cuts other nearby nucleic acids, freeing a fluorescent protein that emits light. The technique makes for versatile, “programmable” sensors that could be quickly adapted to detect virus variants.
The prototype mask activates with a push-button that rehydrates the sensor, starting reactions that break the virus apart and amplify its DNA for detection. The full process produces a color change within 90 minutes of activation—say, when worn by a hospital patient. “Breath is a nice source of noninvasive sampling that has the right concentrations,” says University of Freiburg sensor expert Can Dincer, who was not involved in the new study. “The application really fits the needs of our current situation.”
Sensitivity was similar to most lab tests’. “The ‘gold standard’ would still be your lab-based PCR tests, but we’re in the ballpark,” says bioengineer and senior author James Collins. The single-use masks need no power source nor operator expertise and work at typical room temperature and humidity.
Collins hopes to commercialize the mask to sell for around $5. Similar genetic-circuit wearables, he adds, could aid health-care workers, military personnel, first responders, and others in the field.

News
New Once-a-Week Shot Promises Life-Changing Relief for Parkinson’s Patients
A once-a-week shot from Australian scientists could spare people with Parkinson’s the grind of taking pills several times a day. The tiny, biodegradable gel sits under the skin and releases steady doses of two [...]
Weekly injectable drug offers hope for Parkinson’s patients
A new weekly injectable drug could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson's disease, potentially replacing the need for multiple daily tablets. Scientists from the University of South Australia [...]
Most Plastic in the Ocean Is Invisible—And Deadly
Nanoplastics—particles smaller than a human hair—can pass through cell walls and enter the food web. New research suggest 27 million metric tons of nanoplastics are spread across just the top layer of the North [...]
Repurposed drugs could calm the immune system’s response to nanomedicine
An international study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has identified a promising strategy to enhance the safety of nanomedicines, advanced therapies often used in cancer and vaccine treatments, [...]
Nano-Enhanced Hydrogel Strategies for Cartilage Repair
A recent article in Engineering describes the development of a protein-based nanocomposite hydrogel designed to deliver two therapeutic agents—dexamethasone (Dex) and kartogenin (KGN)—to support cartilage repair. The hydrogel is engineered to modulate immune responses and promote [...]
New Cancer Drug Blocks Tumors Without Debilitating Side Effects
A new drug targets RAS-PI3Kα pathways without harmful side effects. It was developed using high-performance computing and AI. A new cancer drug candidate, developed through a collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), BridgeBio Oncology [...]
Scientists Are Pretty Close to Replicating the First Thing That Ever Lived
For 400 million years, a leading hypothesis claims, Earth was an “RNA World,” meaning that life must’ve first replicated from RNA before the arrival of proteins and DNA. Unfortunately, scientists have failed to find [...]
Why ‘Peniaphobia’ Is Exploding Among Young People (And Why We Should Be Concerned)
An insidious illness is taking hold among a growing proportion of young people. Little known to the general public, peniaphobia—the fear of becoming poor—is gaining ground among teens and young adults. Discover the causes [...]
Team finds flawed data in recent study relevant to coronavirus antiviral development
The COVID pandemic illustrated how urgently we need antiviral medications capable of treating coronavirus infections. To aid this effort, researchers quickly homed in on part of SARS-CoV-2's molecular structure known as the NiRAN domain—an [...]
Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection
Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes [...]
Scientists discover cancer-fighting bacteria that ‘soak up’ forever chemicals in the body
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that [...]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Uncover a New Way To Kill Cancer Cells
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular [...]
AI matches doctors in mapping lung tumors for radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called [...]
Scientists Finally “See” Key Protein That Controls Inflammation
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of [...]
AI tool detects 9 types of dementia from a single brain scan
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan—a transformative [...]
Is plastic packaging putting more than just food on your plate?
New research reveals that common food packaging and utensils can shed microscopic plastics into our food, prompting urgent calls for stricter testing and updated regulations to protect public health. Beyond microplastics: The analysis intentionally [...]