Infectious diseases, such as the crayfish plagued caused by Aphanomyces astaci, threaten biodiversity and have an economic burden on society. Identifying pathogens in the wild is the first step to controlling an outbreak and preventing the spread of the disease. However, many detection methods require expensive lab equipment and trained personnel, often outside many organizations' budgets. This project aims to optimize and adapt existing technology to develop a completely field-based protocol, from sample collection (environmental DNA) to diagnostics with lateral flow dipsticks. The idea is that this protocol could easily be adapted for the detection and monitoring of other pathogens, budget-friendly, and easy to use.
Contact: M. Sc. Jessica M. Rieder; Prof. Dr. Irene Adrian-Kalchhauser
