Novel diagnostic test to detect pathogens created
11 Apr 2017 by Evoluted New Media
A new lab-on-a-chip has been created that can detect a wide array of molecular pathogens.
A new lab-on-a-chip has been created that can detect a wide array of molecular pathogens.
The device is easier to use than current tests and can integrate a number of complex diagnostic processing steps. As a proof of concept the researchers have used it to detect both E. coli and Salmonella.
Professor Natalia Sandetskaya, from the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Germany and first author of the study, said: “We were motivated by the existing need for making the molecular analysis of complex samples much simpler for the users. Our particular applied interest is the detection of the pathogens in blood; for instance in sepsis, when only a few microorganisms must be rapidly found in a large volume of blood.”
A common method of detecting pathogens is nuclear amplification testing (NAT) – but it is both complex and manually intensive, requiring specialist personnel. NAT further requires dedicated equipment which limits its usage in certain environments.
The proof of concept chip can use samples up to 1ml in volume – most lab-on-a-chip devices usually can only process up to 100?l – and the researchers plan to increase this volume over time. It uses microfluidics to ensure that target cells undergo lysis and extraction of nucleic acids before purification, amplification and lastly, detection.
In the paper, published in Future Science, the researchers showed how simple NAT assays using LAMP or PCR could be carried out, in addition to a more complex assay that required DNA purification, to highlight its versatility. Professor Sandetskaya said: “Although our current prototype of the platform will need further development for this application, we have already demonstrated a high level of integration of very diverse processes without making the system overly complex.”
The team of researchers is now planning a series of experiments to evaluate the chip in real-world samples and finalise its design.
[caption id="attachment_59313" align="alignnone" width="620"]
Schematic diagram of the modules of the MinoLyzer with the microfluidic cartridge as well as the functional prototype. Credit: Natalia Sandetskaya[/caption]
