The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of diagnostic tools for the rapid characterization of disease pathogens in honey bees. Honey bee colonies face large annual mortality, and disease is a primary cause. Beekeepers may be able to make better management decisions for maintaining the health of their colonies if they are able to identify whether their bees are infected with a disease-causing pathogen. The diagnostic tools would require no scientific or technical training to use, beyond that necessary for honey bee handling, and no special technical tools for processing samples. Key impacts with this project are that beekeepers will face less stress to their businesses and crops will benefit from the improved yields associated with honey bee pollination. Although this project is focused on the health of honey bees and the needs of beekeepers, the tools developed may serve as a platform for pathogen diagnosis in other insect species, including native pollinators.
This I-Corps project is based on the development of rapid disease detection and diagnosis tools enabling beekeepers to diagnose their honey bee colonies in the field. The technology relies on an understanding of beekeeping processes, honey bee disease science, and molecular genetics to develop laminar flow cell technology that wicks sample proteins and nucleic acids through a paper-like medium and onto detection and signaling molecules (antibodies or capture and signaling proteins). This project will explore optimization of a diagnostic system.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
