Building the Computational
Foundation for Affordable Cancer Diagnostics
We apply in-silico methods, molecular docking simulations, and structural bioinformatics to identify cost effective aptamer targets, laying the groundwork for a ₹85 point of care cancer diagnostic strip.
The One-Dollar Diagnostic Strip Goal
Our primary study establishes high affinity thermodynamic calculations to target active cancer antigens with extreme diagnostic accuracy. By linking these robust aptamers to gold nanoparticles on paper microfluidic colorimetric test strips, manufacturing costs scale down by 99%, making point of care screening accessible for under ₹85 INR ($1 USD). Just as a pregnancy test detects a hormone with a cheap strip, our research enables a strip that detects cancer biomarkers in minutes, at a primary health centre, affordably. This is not science fiction. It starts with this paper.
Synthetic DNA/RNA Aptamers
Taraksha Foundation's platform replaces traditional lab-engineered monoclonal antibodies with synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides (short DNA/RNA chains). Synthesized entirely in-vitro using chemical computer modelling, these chains fold into complex 3D geometries that lock onto disease-specific target proteins with extreme affinity — at 10–100x lower cost than antibodies.
Point-of-Care Infrastructure
Extreme Stability: Chemically robust sequences resistant to heat and biodegradation, designed for rural clinics lacking cold-chain storage. Zero Batch Variation: Digital sequence definitions ensure absolute structural and performance consistency across millions of manufactured tests. Frontline Deployment: Designed for ASHAs and ANMs in primary healthcare sub-centers across rural India.
Embedding Early Detection in India's Frontline Healthcare Network
The primary social welfare goal is embedding cheap, non-invasive point-of-care test strips directly into primary healthcare sub-centers (ANMs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) across rural and urban India. This structural outreach network changes cancer from an invisible, poverty-driven death sentence into a highly curable, early-intervention condition.
