System and methods for detecting pathogens using multi-wavelength sensing

A system for testing a biological sample for each of two or more target pathogens, the system comprising:

• a detection cycle well comprising respective Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) enzymes for each of the two or more target pathogens, and wherein the respective CRISPR enzymes are tagged with respective spectrally unique fluorescent probes;
• a multi-wavelength light source;
• a spectral sensor configured to detect light wavelengths comprising a respective light wavelength corresponding to each of the spectrally unique fluorescent probes;
• and
• at least one controller configured to:
• control operation of the multi-wavelength light source to emit multi-wavelength fluorescence excitation light onto a detection cycle liquid formed within the detection cycle well via combination of a biological sample with the CRISPR enzymes;
• receive a fluorescence light emission detection signal generated by the spectral sensor in response to a fluorescence light emitted by the detection cycle liquid;
• and
• process the fluorescence light emission detection signal to generate detection data indicative of presence or absence of each of the two or more target pathogens in the biological sample.

A method of testing a biological sample for each of two or more target pathogens, the method comprising:

• forming a detection cycle liquid by combining detection cycle compounds with a biological sample liquid formed from a biological sample, wherein the detection cycle compounds comprise respective Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) enzymes for each of the two or more target pathogens, and wherein the respective CRISPR enzymes are tagged with respective spectrally unique fluorescent probes;
• exposing the detection cycle liquid to a multi-wavelength fluorescence excitation light;
• generating a fluorescence light emission detection signal indicative of intensity of fluorescence light emitted by the detection cycle liquid at two or more wavelengths;
• and
• processing the fluorescence light emission detection signal to generate detection data indicative of presence or absence of each of the two or more target pathogens in the biological sample.