Open Viral Load

Mission Statement

In the United States, HIV patients receive regular follow-up testing three to four times annually to ensure that their treatment remains effective. This is critical to prevent resistance from developing and spreading in the population. Unfortunately, the machines needed to perform these tests routinely run in excess of $10,000, a cost which is prohibitive in many regions.

Our Solution

The Global TIES Open Viral Load team is working to build an affordable, open source viral load testing system for use in the developing world. Our system will cost less than $1,000, be simple and easy to use, and will match the reliability of commercial tests.

Quarter Goals

We have recently developed and begun testing our first generation prototype, and will be cooperating with Dr Jose Roman Chavez Mendez, a professor at the UABC in Tijuana, Mexico. We plan to have a working prototype delivered to Professor Chavez at the beginning of Spring Quarter 2016, and to diagnose our first patient by the end of that quarter.

In the longer term, we plan to work with our partners at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique to continue developing and distributing our system.

Subteams

Devices Team

The Devices Subteam works on the hardware/software side of the project, constructing and writing code for the PCR thermocycler and the imaging device.

Biochemistry Team

The Biochemistry Subteam works on the wetware, including RNA extraction, construction of the PCR microwell chips, and lyophilization of reagents.

Team Members

Hayley Chong - All-Team Lead
Rachel Owyeung - Biochemistry Lead
Alex Smith - Software Lead
Christopher Liu - Hardware Lead
Cheryl Chan
Allison Duchnak
Wendy Yu
Kushagra Mathur
Julia Brown
Martin Hartel
Neelam Patel
Uma Mahto
Nassim Eshragh Nia
Alborz Jelvani
Nathan Quach
Brian Nguyen
Woo-Jong Jang
Armon Safai
Timothy Han
Hormoz Khodada
Khalid Ali
Christian Gunther