Novel Biosensor Detects Genetically Modified Corn and Soybean

By Steve Koppes

The continually expanding toolkit from Mohit Verma’s laboratory at Purdue University now includes a portable, paper-based biosensor for identifying genetically modified (GM) corn and soybean. The GM crop biosensor, based on a method called loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), offers a fast and less expensive alternative to the point-of-need molecular tools already on the market.

“Farmers can use it whenever they need it,” said Bilal Ahmed, a postdoctoral research associate in agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue. Ahmed, Verma, and four co-authors from Purdue and the Bayer Crop Science Division describe their device in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics. Bayer Crop Science U.S. funded the project.

Verma, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and his team have previously developed assays for rapidly detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza, fecal contamination on produce farms, bovine respiratory disease, and COVID-19.

Verma disclosed the innovation to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which has applied for a patent to protect the intellectual property. OTC exclusively licensed the technology to Krishi, Inc., which specializes in rapid and easy-to-use molecular diagnostics. Verma serves as the company’s chief technology officer.