Falling Walls Falling Walls Science Summit 2022

Pocket-Sized Detection Device: Breaking the Wall of Tuberculosis

Ayushi Chauhan

2022 2022 Winner 2022 Winner | Emerging Talents Emerging Talents Science Breakthrough of the Year

Ayushi Chauhan aims to create a new generation of portable devices for the rapid detection of point mutations responsible for DR-TB. The assay is accessible, scalable, and suitable for high burden TB countries.

Ayushi Chauhan

Indian Institute of Science

I am a PhD student at the department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. My work focuses on developing frugal diagnostic devices using paper as a substrate to address some of the most pressing needs in healthcare and well-being. I am currently developing a near equipment-free device for genotypic detection of drug-resistant tuberculosis. I am also a co-inventor of the barrier-free paper analytical device that enables multiplex colorimetric detection of analytes in any fluid sample (patent no 402909). The device, formed by a novel combination of paper membranes, significantly reduces the fabrication cost and complexity of existing paper-based devices while improving the limit of detection of colorimetric assays.