SBIR Phase I: Microbe and Cell Assay (MICA) Device for Measuring Bacteria Antibiotic Susceptibility

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目展示了一种快速确定感染性细菌对抗生素治疗敏感性的设备的可行性。标准的敏感性测试需要24-96小时，而该设备承诺在不到两小时的时间内提供评估，而无需使用专门的反应表面。为了证明可行性，将监测细菌在接触模拟抗生素剂量之前和之后在营养肉汤中生长过程中的实时活性。将跟踪两种不同细菌的特征，确定最低可测量浓度，建立该仪器的综合概念和合作伙伴关系，并完成原型设计。这项研究的更广泛影响是提高了诊断和治疗细菌感染患者的速度和准确性，降低了医院、急诊科、医生办公室/卫星设施和护理点提供者的患者护理成本，提高了一线方法的自动化程度和操作便利性，从而提高了卫生工作者治疗传染病和挽救生命的能力。此外，成功实施将指出在医疗、生物制药和临床环境中的其他潜在应用。

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project demonstrates the feasibility of a device for rapidly determining the susceptibility of infectious bacteria to antibiotic treatments. Whereas standard susceptibility tests take between 24-96 hours, this device promises to provide assessments in less than two hours without the use of specialized reaction surfaces. To demonstrate feasibility, the real-time activity of bacteria will be monitored during growth in nutrient broths before and after exposure to dosages of simulated antibiotics. Signatures of two distinct bacteria will be followed, minimum measurable concentrations determined, integrative concepts and partnerships for this instrumentation established, and design of a prototype completed.The broader impacts of this research are improved speed and accuracy for diagnosing and treating patients having bacterial infections, decreased costs for patient care at hospitals, emergency departments, physician offices/satellite facilities and point-of-care providers, and heightened automation and ease of operation for a front-line approach that improves health givers' abilities to treat infectious disease and save lives. Furthermore, successful implementation would point to other potential applications in medical, biopharmaceutical and clinical settings.