Hardware design for PathoBox

Our company is developing crop disease testing devices for farmers and agronomists. With our prototype development nearing completion, we are looking to optimize the electronic schematics of our device to ensure it is robust and effective in diverse agricultural environments.There are two different options based on student's skillset and their interests.Option #1 Students will engage in a detailed and hands-on hardware development process under the mentorship of PathoScan’s scientific lead. Their tasks will include:Learn and analyze PathoScan's hardware schematics for design effectiveness.Convert digital schematics into a physical prototype of the PathoBox device.Conduct testing on the prototype and identify areas for refinement.Present a final report and prototype demonstration to PathoScan founders.Option #2Students will engage in conducting market analysis and market research in of the existing industry and the ways to market PathoBox design. The student's goal will be to figure out the design decisions we need to make for achieving a great product-market fit.

Cell Culturing and Sequencing

The objective of this project is for the learner to isolate a fungal or bacterial pathogen from an infected plant sample (BSL-1). This sample has been provided by one of our curious clients. The learner will then use universal target sequencing (ITS, 16S, CPN60, etc.) on a nanopore to identify the causative pathogen.

qPCR Laboratory Project

The goal of this project will be for the student to develop a quantitative qPCR assay for plant pathogens. This will involve taking our existing diagnostic kits and using them on spiked plasmid/amplicon samples to develop a standard curve. Field plants will then be compared to this, and an LOD/LOQ will be developed. This will be used along with a positive control to yield information about the level of infection in field crops.

July Field Plant Investigation

To complete this project, the learner will first research 2 local producers that have problems with plant diseases. They will then do market research on these diseases to ensure that an assay for them is commercially viable. They will then take the Pathobox out to these producers, demonstrate it, and return the results.

Microbiology Testing for The Brewing Industry

The objective for this project will be for the student to test and validate that a newly designed assay for detecting bacteria in yeast cultures is effective, user-friendly, and specific. By the end of the experience, the learner will be required to write a review of the prototype, including what should be improved upon. The learner will also have to provide a report on the test's specificity, and perform a statistical analysis to determine its limit of detection. The prototype and samples will be provided for the learner.

Market Research

The goal of this project will to be conduct market research for Pathoscan. In particular, the learner will be responsible for researching the market potential of our product: the Pathobox. How this is done will be up to the learner. However, it will likely involve doing a survey of producers, researching disease yield losses, and researching how our product can mitigate those losses.

August Pathogen Testing

The objective of this project will be to test the Pathobox device on late season crops. This is a critical field (no pun intended), because late season crops represent crops that have received maximal input. However, they come with unique challenges, namely that the treatment window is very small. As such, the student will identify and test these crops. They will then deliver the results to producers and create a report outlining the statistical relevance of the assay.

Mid-Season Prototype Testing for Crop Disease Detection Device

The main goal for the project is to test crops using the PathoScan Technologies Inc. prototype to validate the prototype's effectiveness in detecting crop diseases during the peak agricultural season. This will involve several different steps for the learners, including:- Understanding the functionality and technology of the prototype device.- Working with producers to identify and select a variety of crops to test the prototype on.- Conducting tests on the selected crops to detect any diseases using the prototype device.- Analyzing the test results and comparing them to traditional lab testing methods.- Providing a comprehensive report on the effectiveness of the prototype in crop disease detection.

Late Season Crop Disease Testing Prototype Project

The main goal for the project is to utilize a prototype kit to test crops for diseases in the late season. This will involve several different steps for the team, including:- Understanding the functionality and limitations of the prototype kit.- Testing the prototype kit on a variety of crops to identify diseases.- Analyzing the data collected from the prototype kit to determine the effectiveness of disease detection.- Developing a report on the findings and recommendations for further improvements.

Early Season Agricultural Disease Testing

In this project, the learner would have the opportunity to meet with producers and test their fields for disease using our prototype. The learner will be involved in all aspects of the client-company relationship, and will be responsible for conducting the test with scientific rigor based on producer specific conditions. The company will provide mentorship on how to properly work in a laboratory and field environment.

Building a Better Pathobox

The main goal for the project is to enhance the capabilities of the PathoBox machine by adding the ability to detect SYBR Dye. This will enable the machine to identify specific crop diseases with higher accuracy and efficiency, aligning with PathoScan Technologies Inc.'s mission to revolutionize agricultural practices.This will involve several different steps for the learners, including:- Researching the properties and behavior of SYBR Dye in detecting crop diseases.- Developing and integrating the necessary hardware and software components for SYBR Dye detection into the PathoBox machine.- Testing the integrated system to ensure accurate and reliable detection of crop diseases using SYBR Dye.- Documenting the integration process and providing guidelines for future maintenance and upgrades.

Lead generation for device sales

Our company is developing crop disease testing devices for farmers and agronomists. We have now completed the prototype development phase and now need to generate customer leads and build out our sales model.We would like to collaborate with students to begin generating customer leads.This will involve several different steps for the students, including:Researching out to our target market and having authentic conversations about how our product can help our customers (may include: talking with farmers, agronomists, consultants, and scientists).Recommending strategies to improve our sales process, strategic positioning, branding, products and services.Suggesting novel approaches for generating value for potential customers.

Market Research

Our company is developing crop disease testing devices for farmers and agronomists. We are close to completing the prototype development and therefore would like to fully explore the market and refine our customer segmentation model. We want to better understand our target market and the market fit of our product to the industry, so we can uniquely position ourselves for success.We would like to collaborate with students to conduct market research.This will involve several different steps for the students, including:Researching our target market and market potential (may include: talking with farmers, researching farming and agronomy).Recommending strategies to improve our positioning, brand, products and services.Additional steps in the process would also include:Recommending strategies to differentiate ourselves from our competition.Suggesting novel approaches for generating value for potential customers.