BME PhD Defense Announcement for Lucy Tecle (J. Linnes, advisor)

Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 9:00 AM.

Title: Engineering Paper-based Diagnostics for Accessible Cervical Cancer Screening

Date: November 25, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM

Location: MJIS 2001 and Zoom - https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/9039977677

Committee members: Dr. Jacqueline Linnes (chair), Dr. Sulma Mohammed, Dr. Natalia Rodriguez, Dr. Lia Stanciu-Gregory

Abstract:

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with the highest mortality rates occurring in resource-limited settings that lack access to early screening and preventive care. Antigen-based detection using paper-based platforms at the point of care offers a rapid and accessible diagnostic solution, requiring minimal equipment and training. In this work, paper-based diagnostic technologies and open-source automation tools were advanced to improve the accessibility, reproducibility, and scalability of point-of-care immunoassays. Detector antibodies were conjugated to gold nanoparticles as colorimetric complexes, with capture antibodies immobilized on paper to localize signal development. Characterization assays confirmed functional antibody-antigen binding, and enzymatic signal enhancement improved visual contrast to guide the selection of effective detection conditions. Paper-based immunoassays were designed and systematically optimized across dipstick, lateral flow, duplex, and sequential delivery formats to assess how material configuration, sample composition, and conjugate chemistry influenced signal generation and flow. These multi-modal design insights enabled the detection of clinically relevant cervical cancer biomarkers, including HPV16 L1 and MCM2, to improve sensitivity across assay formats. While the HPV16 L1 assay faced nonspecific binding challenges amidst stable conditions, the limit of detection for MCM2 was consistently 1 µg/mL. Complementing this work, a computer numerical control (CNC)-based workstation was developed to automate assay assembly with sub-millimeter precision, improving manufacturing consistency and reducing manual variability. These combined advancements bridge biological assay optimization with accessible hardware automation. Hence, this work enables decentralized, small-scale fabrication of reliable paper-based assays for early screening and equitable innovations in cervical cancer diagnostics.