Research Projects

This research project focuses on the development of next-generation nano-biosensors integrating CRISPR-Cas12a technology for ultra-sensitive and rapid detection of major agricultural pathogens including Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora infestans, and Xanthomonas oryzae. The project addresses the critical need for point-of-care diagnostic tools in precision agriculture, reducing dependence on costly and time-consuming laboratory-based PCR methods.

The nano-biosensor platform combines gold nanoparticle-functionalized graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) with CRISPR-based nucleic acid amplification, achieving a detection limit of 10 femtomolar — approximately 1000-fold more sensitive than conventional ELISA-based methods. Field trials were conducted across 12 agricultural districts in Haryana and Punjab, demonstrating real-world applicability.

• Successfully developed prototype nano-biosensor device achieving femtomolar detection sensitivity
• Validated device performance across 3 major crop pathogens with 98.7% specificity
• Completed field trials in 12 districts covering 450 farms
• Technology transferred to 2 agri-tech startups for commercial scale-up
• Trained 120 extension workers on device operation and data interpretation
• Published 8 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals (average IF > 7.5)

Prototypes Developed: 500 field-ready units manufactured at pilot scale
Startups Supported: 2 (AgriSense Technologies Pvt. Ltd., NanoDiag India Pvt. Ltd.)
Technologies Licensed: 3 licensing agreements executed
Research Papers: 8 published, 3 under review
Patents Filed: 4 (2 granted, 2 pending)
Training Programs: 6 workshops conducted, 120 participants trained

• Sharma R, Mehta P, Singh K. (2023). "CRISPR-Cas12a integrated gold nanoparticle biosensor for plant pathogen detection." ACS Nano, 17(4), 3892–3905. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09841
• Mehta P, Gupta A, Verma S. (2022). "Graphene field-effect transistors functionalized with aptamers for pathogen biosensing." Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 198, 113847.
• Singh K, Sharma R. (2022). "Point-of-care diagnostics for Phytophthora infestans using lateral flow assay coupled CRISPR." Nature Communications, 13, 4512.