Instant Detection Using Ultra-Stable Aptamer Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles.

Fungal pathogens such as have significant impacts on women's health and the economy worldwide. Current detection methods often require access to laboratory facilities that are costly, inconvenient, and slow to access. This often leads to self-diagnosis, self-treatment and eventual antifungal resistance. We have created a rapid (within five minutes), cost-effective, and user-friendly method for the early detection of . Our platform utilises aptamer-tagged-gold-core-shell nanoparticles for detection based on the presence of 1,3-β-d glucan molecules. Nanoparticle aggregation occurs in the presence of fungal cells, causing a redshift in the UV-visible absorbance, turning from pink/purple to blue. This colour change is perceptible by the naked eye and provides a "yes"/"no" result. Our platform was also capable of detecting from individual yeast colonies without prior sample processing, dilution or purification. yeast cells were detected with our platform at concentrations as low as 5 × 10 cells within a 50 μL sample volume. We believe that this technology has the potential to revolutionise women's health, enabling women to test for accurately and reliably from home. This approach would be advantageous within remote or developing areas.