Field-ready optical sensor platform for DNA and RNA quantitation

Overview

Mosaic Sensors Corporation has developed a patented optical sensor technology that detects and quantifies analytes through visible color changes in polymer-based devices. The platform is designed for portability, ease of use, and cost effectiveness, making it suitable for field-based molecular diagnostics without the need for traditional laboratory infrastructure. This offering extends the company's existing sensor capabilities—which have already been validated for cannabinoid detection in cannabis extracts—to the quantitation of specific DNA and RNA sequences. By immobilizing complementary capture strands on the sensor surface, the devices can identify and quantify target nucleic acid sequences in solution. The technology supports multiplexed detection, meaning multiple sequences can be assayed simultaneously on a single device, and sensitivity can be tuned by adjusting the physical dimensions of the sensor.

Technical specifications

Core technology:

• Etalon-based optical sensors — non-toxic polymeric microgels sandwiched between two thin metal layers that produce visible color shifts in response to target binding
• Aptamer-functionalized surfaces — DNA-based aptamers immobilized on the sensor surface serve as capture elements for complementary nucleic acid sequences
• Multiplexed array format — sensors can be fabricated in arrays on a single surface, enabling simultaneous detection of multiple DNA or RNA targets in one assay
• Tunable sensitivity — physical dimensions of the device can be controlled to adjust the limit of detection for different concentration ranges
• Smartphone-integrated readout — color changes are interpreted using a smartphone camera, eliminating the need for benchtop instruments

Validation approach:

• Extraction workflows previously optimized for cannabis analysis will be adapted for nucleic acid isolation from plant and biological samples
• Sensor performance will be benchmarked against gold-standard techniques such as PCR available at the University of Alberta
• Evaluation metrics include sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation

Technology readiness level

The underlying etalon sensor platform has been validated for small-molecule detection in commercial cannabis testing applications, demonstrating limits of detection in the micrograms-per-liter range. The extension of this technology to nucleic acid quantitation is at an early-to-mid stage of development. Initial proof-of-concept work has shown that DNA-modified sensors can detect complementary single strands, and current efforts are focused on validating performance with standard nucleic acid solutions followed by complex sample extracts. Multiplexing capacity and tunable sensitivity are supported by preliminary evidence but require further characterization. The technology is well positioned for collaborative development with partners in plant genomics, agricultural biotechnology, diagnostics, and environmental monitoring who seek portable, low-cost molecular detection solutions.