Development of Viral Genome Extraction Machine

The world has been hit by coronavirus pandemic for around two years. Early detection of infection by SARS CoV-2 relies on the efficient detection using Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) which require a viral genome extraction machine. An extraction machine for the nucleic acid has been designed and fabricated in this research. It utilizes magnetic rods and carousel driven by linear and rotary actuator as the main component to do each step of extraction procedure. It is equipped with a minicomputer and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) touchscreen as an interface with user to make setting and running the machine. The machine has been tested to simulate each extraction process without viral genome sample comprises lysis, two times washing, holding and elution as designed. It was running well to rotate the carousel to the exact position for each extraction step, move the tip comb and magnetic rods appropriately to the sample plate holes, and move the tip comb up and down to mix the solution exactly on the sample plate for each extraction process. Next, the machine performance will be tested to do viral genome extraction in BSL Laboratory Class 2.