Image created by Dr. Michael J. Miller
The PINTAR Diagnostics team from the School of Life Sciences and Technology (SLST), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), has successfully secured funding in the 2025 Student Creativity Program in the Exact Research category (PKM-RE), organized by the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs (Belmawa), Ministry of Higher Education (Dikti).
The team, consisting of Maria Audrey (Biology), Taliasari Aulia Fatiha (Biology), and Muhammad Firdaus (Microbiology), is now preparing for the Progress Evaluation Phase (PKP2) on October 19-26, 2025 before advancing to the Pekan Ilmiah Mahasiswa Nasional (PIMNAS) in November.
The Student Creativity Program (PKM) is one of the most prestigious national platforms initiated by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology (Ditjen Diktiristek) to foster innovation and research culture among students across Indonesia. This program encourages students to develop creative, research-based ideas with tangible social impact. PKM encompasses several categories, one of which is PKM-Exact Research (PKM-RE).
The PINTAR Diagnostics team carries out a project titled “Production of Biotinylated Target Amplicons and Characterization of CRISPR Cas9-sgRNA Complex for the Development of Hepatitis B Virus Lateral Flow Assay Diagnostics.” The research focuses on developing a CRISPR-Cas9-based rapid detection system for the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), aiming to overcome the limitations of conventional antibody-based diagnostic methods.
“If COVID-19 rapid tests detect antibodies, our system instead detects viral DNA using CRISPR. Because HBV has a high mutation rate, many antibody-based kits fail to recognize local variants. CRISPR can be a solution since its DNA target can be easily adjusted without replacing other components,” explained Maria Audrey, the team leader of PINTAR Diagnostics.
Unlike many commercial diagnostic kits, the CRISPR-based system offers high flexibility and precision. Using the Cas9-sgRNA mechanism, detection is performed by identifying specific viral DNA sequences, meaning that mutations in viral proteins do not interfere with identification. This approach enables the development of more universal diagnostic tools capable of detecting multiple circulating HBV variants in Indonesia.
According to Talia, the research utilizes two main approaches: in silico (dry lab) and in vitro (wet lab). “The in silico analysis was conducted to design single-guide RNA (sgRNA), which directs Cas9 to the viral DNA target. After the design stage, we proceeded to in vitro experiments to produce sgRNA, form the Cas9-sgRNA complex, and test its interaction with the HBV target sequence,” she explained.
“Many wet lab steps had to be repeated because the initial results did not meet expectations. But that process trained us to think critically and be patient during troubleshooting,” said Firdaus. “We also learned to utilize every bit of data, no matter how small, to explain the phenomena we observed.”
The team’s research journey began with the 2024 Student Research Program (SRP), an incubation initiative under the Ganesha Student Innovation Center (GSIC) of ITB’s Student Union (KM ITB). The program serves as a training platform for students before entering national PKM competitions. Through SRP, PINTAR Diagnostics had the opportunity to refine their research ideas, establish methodologies, and conduct preliminary validation before submitting their proposal to Belmawa Dikti.
According to Talia, preparing the PKM proposal was a challenge in itself. “The proposal was limited to 10 pages, but our research was quite complex. We had to carefully select which sections were essential to include. On top of that, our in silico dataset was quite large, so data processing and interpretation took a lot of time,” she said.
Throughout their research, the team received full guidance from two supervisors, Karlia Meitha, Ph.D., and Ernawati Arifin Giri-Rachman, Ph.D., both experts in CRISPR and virology. “Dr. Meitha and Dr. Erna always provided room for discussion and guided us patiently. When results didn’t go as expected, they helped us evaluate and explore new approaches,” said Audrey.
Beyond sharpening their research and collaboration skills, PKM also taught the team valuable lessons in time management and scientific communication. “Through PKM, we learned not only about science but also about grit and persistence. From writing reports to conducting lab experiments, the process taught us how to think systematically and stay resilient in the face of failure,” added Talia.
Firdaus added that PKM broadened their understanding of how fundamental research can be translated into real-world innovation in healthcare. “We’ve become more aware that research doesn’t end in the lab. Hopefully, this project can continue into the prototyping phase and contribute to the advancement of diagnostic tools in Indonesia,” he said.
This year, a total of 1,590 PKM 2025 proposals from across Indonesia received funding, with two from ITB in the Exact Research category. The PINTAR Diagnostics team proudly represents ITB in this national event. The announcement of teams advancing to PIMNAS 2025 is scheduled for November 7, 2025.
“Our hope is simple: that this CRISPR-based diagnostic research can become a starting point for developing faster, more affordable, and more accurate disease detection technologies in Indonesia,” concluded Audrey.
“We also hope that support for PKM at ITB continues to grow, so that more students feel encouraged to express their ideas through research,” she said.