Developing paper 'origami' eDNA sensors for real-time public surveillance of invasive species

Invasive species are a major cause of biodiversity loss and can cause significant economic damage. Surveillance is a vital tool for invasive species management.

Early detection at the initial stages of invasion can be used to target eradication programmes, whilst monitoring can also be used to track invasive species spread or eradication success. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a promising method to monitor invasive species.

Currently, eDNA methods require some level of user skill, can be costly and there is often a time gap between sampling and results from lab analysis. These hamper the widespread use of eDNA as a tool.

Our project bridges this technological gap: we will develop a cheap, field-ready eDNA sensor that can detect freshwater invasive species which will deliver results rapidly onsite.

This sensor will be co-designed with citizen scientists to ensure a robust, user-friendly design which at the project completion could be scaled rapidly as an effective citizen science tool.

Our project will overcome many current barriers to eDNA use (cost, user skill, time deliver for results) and so empower a vast network of users to enhance our invasive species surveillance.