A PCR Based Antibiotic Resistance Gene Detector
A low cost reusable microfluidic device for the detection of antibiotic resistant genes in bacteria isolated from patient samples.
Summary
Modern day biomedicine has been revolutionised by the introduction of molecular diagnostic methods. With recent advancement of high throughput DNA and protein sequencing technologies we are living in the omics era where personalised medicine became a familiar term. Despite significant technological advancement, molecular diagnostic methods are not within the reach of most people in the developing world. For example, antibiotic resistant (Multiple drug resistance or MDR and Extensively drug-resistant or XDR) forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a raising threat to the world and it is necessary to detect the presence of such resistant strains in patient samples as early as possible. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods for the detection of antibiotic resistant form of bacteria exist in the market, but use of such technology is not cost effective and often depend on expansive hardware along with continuous purchase of consumables like specific cartridges. Here, in this project we propose to develop a microfluidics based, reusable module, mainly to detect the presence of antibiotic resistant bacterial genes in patient samples.
The Team
Vladimir Nashchekin: Engineering/University of Sheffield, Engineering lead
Jennifer Wilson: Engineering/University of Sheffield, Electronics and control systems lead
Avik Mukherjee: Gurdon Institute/University of Cambridge, Avik will help to develop the biological concept.
Edo Dzafic: Gurdon Institute/University of Cambridge, Support with biological aspect of the project.
Andrew Plygawko: Gurdon Institute/University of Cambridge, Biological data validation
