Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Hong Kong Baptist University invents novel cell sensor for rapid and low-cost screening of drug-resistant bacteria

Hong Kong Baptist University invents novel cell sensor for rapid and low-cost screening of drug-resistant bacteria

A research team led by scientists at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has developed a novel cell sensor with a barcode-like micro-channel structure that enables rapid and low-cost screening of drug-resistant bacteria.

The invention could potentially be used on a large-scale in resource-limited situations such as frequent safety screenings of water, food and public facilities, as well as urgent surveys of massive samples during an infectious disease outbreak, particularly in developing countries.

A research paper on the novel invention was published in the international academic journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

A research team led by Dr Ren Kangning, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU (left), designed a fully automatic, microscope-free antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) system. It enables rapid and low-cost screening of drug-resistant bacteria by scanning the "barcode" on the cell sensor with a mobile app, which is shown by Chan Chiu-wing, a member of the research team and a PhD student of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU (right).

The cell sensor with a barcode-like micro-channel structure comprises two main parts: a cell culture zone and a "barcode" cell sensor.


A rapid and low-cost testing approach


Antibiotics are often used to treat bacterial infections, but the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have created the problem of drug resistance. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is used to determine which antibiotics can effectively inhibit the growth of a certain type of bacteria effectively. However, conventional AST methods are too slow, as they require 16 to 24 hours for results, while modern rapid ASTs are expensive and require elaborated laboratory equipment. A rapid and cost-effective strategy is therefore needed to screen bacterial samples onsite, with advanced laboratory testing arranged only for those suspected of containing drug-resistant bacteria.

In response to this need, a research team led by Dr Ren Kangning, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU designed a fully automatic, microscope-free AST system. It comprises two main parts: a cell culture zone and a "barcode" cell sensor. The cell culture zone consists of a set of micro-channels filled with fluids that contain cell culture media as well as different concentrations of the antibiotic. The "barcode" cell sensor contains an array of "adaptive linear filters" arranged in parallel that resembles a "barcode" structure. Users can finish the onsite screening within three hours by scanning the "barcode" with a mobile app developed by the researchers, and it will indicate whether any drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria is present in the sample.

Quantity of bacteria represented by bar length


When conducting AST with the system, bacterial samples will be injected into and incubated in the cell culture zone. Bacteria in the test sample inside the micro-channels show different proliferation rates depending on different concentrations of the antibiotic.

After completion of the culture period, the bacterial cells will flow through the "adaptive linear filters". The cells will not accumulate around the nanopores on the sidewalls of the micro-channels, instead they will be driven down by the fluid and be collected from the end of the micro-channels. The accumulated cells will then form visible vertical bars, the lengths of which are proportional to the quantity of bacteria cells cultured under the different concentrations of the antibiotic.

A cell phone equipped with a macro-lens can then be used to photograph the "barcode" created by the AST. The image will be analysed automatically by the mobile app.

Results consistent with conventional AST


After the culture period, if all the "bars" of the cell sensor have similar lengths, it means the tested antibiotic cannot inhibit the growth of the bacteria, and thus the bacterial sample is resistant to the tested antibiotic. If the length of the "bars" is in general inversely proportional to the concentration of the antibiotic in the micro-channels, it shows that the tested antibiotic is generally effective at prohibiting the growth of the bacteria, and thus the bacteria is not drug-resistant. When two adjacent "bars" show a sharp difference in terms of length, it indicates that the antimicrobial effect of the antibiotic leaps when its concentration reaches a particular level.

The research team tested E. coli and S. aureus with the "barcode" cell sensor and the results were consistent with those of the conventional AST. The test can be completed in three hours, which is much faster than the conventional AST. Microfluidic approaches developed by other researchers can also attain comparable speed, but they rely on expensive instruments for analysis in general.

Potential for use in resource-limited regions


"Our 'barcode' testing system is a promising new tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. We hope that it will benefit the routine screening of drug-resistant bacteria in the food industry, public areas and healthcare facilities as it does not require advanced clinical facilities or professional testing skills," said Dr Ren.

The "barcode" cell sensor has a low production cost, and it is estimated to be below one US dollar per piece. The research team has filed a patent application for the "barcode" cell sensor. "We plan to develop our invention into a portable AST instrument, and ultimately, we hope it can be used in resource-limited regions," Dr Ren added.

Apart from researchers from HKBU's Department of Chemistry, the research team of the "barcode" cell sensor also included scientists from the Department of Computer Science at HKBU and the School of Medicine at Stanford University.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
0:00
0:00
Close
It's always the people with the dirty hands pointing their fingers
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
BMW driver…
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
×