"MIMIC" - Multifunctional Integrated Microsystem for rapid point-of-care TB IdentifiCation

世界人口的三分之一感染了结核病，每年有900万新发活动性结核病病例。虽然疾病诊断的延误导致潜在的感染传播，但仅凭临床理由诊断结核病是困难的，因为患者往往只有非特异性症状。目前的诊断测试面临重大限制，因为它们需要将样本送到医疗测试设施，可能还需要两天的时间才能完成，延长了患者不确定和潜在传染性的时间。该项目旨在开发一种“即时护理”系统，根据手指刺破的血液样本在几分钟内诊断结核病。它组建了一个以企业为主导的联盟，拥有广泛的专业知识，从临床结核病专家（与英国三所不同大学的患者密切相关）到工程和生物学。该系统包括一个低成本的一次性药筒，内含样品和所需的所有试剂，与提供动力、驱动和传感的读取器接口。一次性药筒上滴血的操作是基于格拉斯哥大学的一项专利创新，利用声波携带的机械能来驱动液体。该测试以使用生物标志物的诊断芯片为中心，该芯片由MV诊断公司设计，由Epigem有限公司制造，专门检测人体对结核病病原体的反应。大量不同的（和专有的）生物标志物有可能在几分钟内提供前所未有的灵敏度和特异性，而目前的测试需要数小时甚至数天。

One third of the world’s population is infected with TB and there are nine million new cases of active TB every year. While delays in diagnosing the disease result in a potential infection spreading, the diagnosis of TB on clinical grounds alone is difficult as patients often have only non-specific symptoms. Current diagnostic tests are facing major limitations, as they require samples to be sent to medical testing facilities and may take a further two days to perform, extending the time during which a patient is unsure and potentially infectious. This project aims at developing a ‘point-of-care’ system to diagnose TB, based on a blood sample from a finger-prick in a matter of minutes. It assembles a business-led consortium with a wide range of expertise, from clinical TB experts, closely involved with patients in three different universities across the UK, to engineering and biology.The system comprises a low-cost disposable cartridge containing the sample and all the reagents required, interfaced with a reader that provides power, actuation and sensing. The manipulation of the drop of blood on the disposable cartridge is based on a patented innovation from the University of Glasgow, using the mechanical energy carried by sound waves to actuate liquids. The test is centered on a diagnostic chip using biomarkers, designed by MV diagnostics and created by Epigem Ltd that specifically detects the response of the human body to the tuberculosis pathogen. The large number of different (and proprietary) biomarkers has the potential to provide unprecedented sensitivity and specificity, within minutes, where current tests require hours or even days.