Electrochemical biosensor for CRISPR/Cas13a powered miRNA diagnostics

Non-coding small RNAs, such as microRNAs, are becoming the biomarkers of choice for multiple diseases in clinical diagnostics. A dysregulation of these microRNAs can be associated to many different diseases, such as cancer, dementia or cardiovascular conditions. The key issue for an effective treatment is an accurate initial diagnosis at an early stage, improving the patient's survival chances. Here, we introduce a CRISPR/Cas13a based microfluidic, electrochemical biosensor for the on-site detection of microRNAs. Through this unique combination, the quantification of the tumor marker microRNA miR-19b has been achieved without any nucleic acid amplification with a limit of detection of 10 pM and a signal readout time of less than 10 min.