iSCAN: An RT-LAMP-coupled CRISPR-Cas12 module for rapid, sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2

We would like to thank members of the genome engineering and synthetic biology laboratory for insightful discussions and technical support. We thank Professor Andrew Ellington for providing the RTx and BstI clones. This work was supported, in part, by the Smart Health Initiative at KAUST and the IAF grant from the KAUST IED to MM. The samples were collected from patients providing verbal consent to the treating doctor after they read the patient consent form, or the doctor explained the content of consent form to the patient. Hence, as per the approved protocol, the doctors took samples only after receiving verbal consent from a concerned patient (due to infection hazard and no family member being available next to the patients due to infection control guidelines) and the treating doctor signed on the consent form on behalf of the patient before any sample collection took place. We have obtained the necessary ethical approval from the Saudi-MOH and the Mass Gathering directorate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the collection of the samples (Saudi MOH Approval #: H-02-K-076-0420-285, dated 13.04.2020; KAUST Approval #: 20IBEC14). We thank Sara Mfarrej and Fathia Ben Rached for their help during the handling of the clinical samples in KAUST.