I-Corps: Commercialization of electrochemical sensor technology for pathogen detection

目前正在努力开发用于监测伤口感染的传感器。绝大多数智能绷带的研发都集中在基于一般特征（如pH值、温度和气体）的感染传感器上。虽然更容易实现，但这些一般特征也波动很大，并且可能由于大量因素而发生变化，从而导致不可靠的识别。目前监测伤口感染的标准依赖于患者或护理人员对感染何时发生的初步评估。根据目视检查、伤口气味和其他病人症状（如发烧）作出决定。当怀疑感染时，从伤口收集样本并送到中心设施进行分析。在集中式设施中，平板培养是病原体鉴定的金标准。这项技术很简单，但需要24小时或更长时间才能识别。本提案旨在创造、测试和推广用于定量微生物研究的电化学传感器技术。具体来说，这种方法将利用微制造电化学传感器来快速和选择性地检测细菌产生的分子。检测到的分子仅由某些种类的细胞产生；因此，通过检测分子，可以确定样品中存在哪些细胞以及它们的数量。这项拟议中的技术将允许护理人员远程监控他们的病人，并为他们提供更好的护理。在医院的术后或烧伤病房，快速识别是客户的主要需求，因为伤口是常规监测的，但当怀疑感染时需要耗时的测试来识别病原体。在家里，病人必须自己判断是否有感染，或者等到家庭保健工作者来看望他们。如果远程监控伤口，提议的产品可以减少家庭医疗专业人员的就诊频率，减少已经负担过重和人员不足的系统的工作量。

There are ongoing efforts to develop sensors to monitor for wound infections. The vast majority of smart-bandage research and development is focused on infection sensors based on general characteristics, such as pH, temperature, and gases. While simpler to implement, these general characteristics also fluctuate significantly and can change due to a large number of factors, resulting in unreliable identification. The current standard to monitor for wound infections relies on an initial human assessment, either patient or caregiver, of when an infection is developing. The decision is based on visual inspection, smell of the wound, and other patient symptoms, such as fever. When an infection is suspected, samples are collected from the wound and sent to a central facility for analysis. At the centralized facility, plate culturing is the gold standard for pathogen identification. The technique is simple, but requires 24 hours or more for identification.This proposal aims to create, test, and disseminate electrochemical sensor technology for quantitative microbiological studies. Specifically, this approach will utilize micro-fabricated electrochemical sensors to rapidly and selectively detect molecules produced by bacteria. The detected molecules are uniquely produced by only certain species of cells; therefore, by detecting the molecules it is possible to determine which cells and how many of them are present in a sample. The proposed technology will allow caregivers to remotely monitor their patients and provide them with better care. In a hospital post-op or burn ward, rapid identification is the primary customer need, as wounds are monitored routinely, but require time-consuming tests when an infection is suspected to identify the pathogen. In the home, patients must determine on their own if they have an infection developing or wait until a home healthcare worker visits them. The proposed product could reduce the visit frequency for home healthcare professionals if the wounds are monitored remotely, decreasing the workload for an already overburdened and understaffed system.