▌Current Activities and Product Portfolio
Current Research and Development Areas
Products portfolio
⦁ Microfluidic Paper-based detection system for HPV
Human Papilloma Virus infections that are responsible for cervical carcinogenesis (Types 16 and 18) are a threat to women in the age group of 40–55 years. Early detection of HPV infections can help manage cervical cancer effectively. The standard testing procedure for HPV is based on using a COBAS platform which is accurate but costly and requires trained personnel. Kaappon Analytics has pioneered the development of a cost-effective, rapid, semi-quantitative test involving a fluorescence-based microfluidic system for early detection of HPV 18 strain.
⦁ Electrochemical Microfluidic Device for Detection of UTI
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are more common in women than in men. There are 4 million recorded cases of UTIs worldwide each year, and about 8% of these cases develop into severe systemic infections, which can be life-threatening. One of the major concerns with UTIs is the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms, which are challenging to treat. Current diagnostic methods take a long time to detect multidrug-resistant strains of UTI infections. Kaappon Analytics has developed an electrochemical-based detection system using microfluidics to effectively determine the best antibiotic for specific infections. Their devices for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are sensitive and accurate.
⦁ Colorimetric detection for heavy metals.
Heavy metal toxicity poses a serious health risk, potentially leading to organ failure, developmental issues in children, and cancer. Recent high levels of heavy metal contamination are largely due to increased pollution and modern lifestyles. It’s important to regularly monitor the levels of heavy metals in everyday products to ensure a safe and healthy life. Kaappon Analytics specializes in developing a color signal-producing system for detecting heavy metal contamination in samples. By combining adsorption as a preconcentration step with colorimetric detection, we can achieve ultra-low-level detection of heavy metals.
⦁Colorimetric detection for pesticides
The use of pesticides has become a common practice in modern agriculture. While they are intended to protect crops, they can also have negative effects on human health when consumed. Due to the lack of awareness and the fact that less than 1% of agricultural land is used for organic farming, many people end up consuming produce that has been treated with pesticides. To address this issue, we propose the use of affordable microfluidic paper-based analytical devices as on-site pesticide detection sensors for agricultural produce. This will help ensure food safety by allowing consumers to directly test agricultural produce for pesticide residues, eliminating the need for laboratory services.
Patented Work:
⦁ Rajesh Ghosh, Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Rangasamy Savitha, Thiruvengadam Renganathan; Subramanium Pushpavanam. Method for Fabricating Microfluidic Devices on a porous substrate. Application number 201841039420, Indian patent Provisional filing dated 17th Oct 2018 and Complete filing dated 16th Oct 2019. Status: Granted
⦁ Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Subramanium Pushpavanam, Sridevi Duggirala, Rayala Suresh Kumar, Ganesh Venkataraman, Vaishnavi B and Vijayalakshmi R. A system for detection nucleic acids using a paper-based substrate, and a method thereof. Application no: 202241024598, Indian Provisional patent dated 26th April 2022 and complete filing dated 20th April 2023. Status: Under review
⦁ Diksha Mall, Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Richa Karmakar & Subramanium Pushpavanam. Method and Device for Bacterial Detection and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Application number 202441003092, Indian patent Complete filing dated 16th Jan 2024. Status: Under review.
Research Paper published
⦁ Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Diksha Mall, Subramanium Pushpavanam and Richa Karmakar (2025). Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing using carbon screen printed electrodes in a microfluidic device. Scientific Reports, 15, 5133.
⦁ Rajesh Ghosh, Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Rangasamy Savitha, Thiruvengadam Renganathan & Subramanium Pushpavanam. (2019). Fabrication of Laser Printed Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices (LP-μPads) For Point-Of-Care Applications, Scientific Reports, 9, 7896.
⦁ Saranya Gopalakrishnan, R Savitha, T. Renganathan, S. Pushpavanam. (2023) Adsorption of triclosan on nylon 66 membrane: preconcentration and ultrasensitive colorimetric detection. Langmuir, 39, 26, 9017-9024.
⦁ Rajesh Ghosh, Saranya Gopalakrishnan, T. Renganathan, S. Pushpavanam. (2022). Adsorptive colorimetric determination of chromium(VI) ions at ultratrace levels using amine functionalized mesoporous silica, Scientific Reports, 12, 5673.
⦁ Saranya Gopalakrishnan, Rajesh Ghosh, T. Renganathan, S. Pushpavanam (2021). Sensitive and selective determination of triclosan using visual spectroscopy. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, Volume 254, 119623, ISSN 1386-1425.
⦁ K. Sinu, R. Savitha, B. Ranjit, S. Pushpavanam, Detection of azadirachtin from neem kernels using a paper-based sandwich sensor, Anal. Methods. (2024) 1034–1042.