Article
Biophysics
Yi Zhang, Nurhidayah Binte Mohamed Yazid, Pei-Yun Ho, Xuyang Hu, Songlin Chen, Shawn Vasoo, Pojchanun Kanitthamniyom
Summary: This study presents an automated magnetic digital microfluidics-based platform, called DropCarba, for the detection of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli (CPGNB). The platform simplifies the testing process, improves consistency, and has comparable results to the standard Carba NP test. It provides a valuable contribution to combating antibiotic resistance.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiahong Chen, Jianwei Zhong, Yifu Chang, Yinning Zhou, Seok Hwee Koo, Thean Yen Tan, Hongtao Lei, Ye Ai
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to global public health. A label-free electrical impedance-based microfluidic platform has been designed to expedite and streamline antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for clinical practice, with a rapid 2-minute AST assay at the single-bacterium level. This platform enables accurate analysis of bacterial viability and determination of antimicrobial resistance.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Alexandra Perebikovsky, Yujia Liu, Alexander Hwu, Horacio Kido, Ehsan Shamloo, Dian Song, Gabriel Monti, Oren Shoval, Daniel Gussin, Marc Madou
Summary: This study demonstrates a novel sample incubation technique on a microfluidic centrifugal disc, showing enhanced incubation for E. coli isolates and successful identification of antibiotic resistance within under 2 hours.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Morteza Azizi, Benyamin Davaji, Ann Nguyen, Shiying Zhang, Belgin Dogan, Kenneth W. Simpson, Alireza Abbaspourrad
Summary: This study proposed a novel gradient-based microchamber microfluidic platform for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which can cover a wide range of antibiotic concentrations in a single test with a short time to results. The platform demonstrated good tunability and applicability for profiling different bacteria, and tracked bacterial growth independently of antibiotic mechanism or bacterial species in a robust and easy-to-implement manner.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Alexandros A. Sklavounos, Carine R. Nemr, Shana O. Kelley, Aaron R. Wheeler
Summary: This study demonstrated a method for bacterial classification and antibiotic susceptibility testing using digital microfluidics, achieving automated and simultaneous results in under 18 hours through monitoring metabolic markers. The versatility and accuracy of this method were shown through successful identification of bacteria and validation of AST results.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chao Li, Sue McCrone, Jay W. Warrick, David R. Andes, Zachary Hite, Cecilia F. Volk, Warren E. Rose, David J. Beebe
Summary: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is crucial for effective antimicrobial selection and optimization in patients. Microfluidics-based phenotypic AST, such as the under-oil open microfluidic systems (UOMS) described in this pilot study, offers a rapid and accurate approach for testing antimicrobial activities. UOMS-AST provides open access and optical resolution, and can determine susceptibility/resistance breakpoint and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) quickly. By combining UOMS-AST with cloud lab data analytics, a fast sample-to-report turnaround time of less than 4 hours can be achieved, making it a versatile platform for phenotypic AST in hospital/clinic settings.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Goran M. Stojanovic, Tijana Kojic, Mitar Simic, Aleksandra Jovanovic-Galovic, Bojan Pavlovic, Amaia Zurutuza, Luca Anzi, Roman Sordan
Summary: A compact microfluidic platform for selective detection of ascorbic acid was presented in this paper, with the application of graphene improving response linearity and reducing detection and quantification limits compared to the reference structure.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tai The Diep, Sarah Helen Needs, Samuel Bizley, Alexander D. Edwards
Summary: Antibiotic susceptibility testing is crucial in addressing the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. A new microdevice-miniature microscope cell measurement system, combined with inexpensive digital cameras and a 3D printing platform, allows for rapid and easy detection of bacterial motility, aiding in the detection of antibiotic resistance.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Adrian T. Nash, Daniel A. N. Foster, Shyan Thompson, Seungyoon Han, Madison K. Fernandez, Dae Kun Hwang
Summary: Hydrogel-based biosensing has been widely used in biomedical applications, but the long detection time and the need for blood sample prefiltration are limitations. In this study, a rapid microfluidic platform with cross-flow-induced advective transportation and size-based filtration is introduced, significantly reducing the detection time to under 15 minutes and eliminating the need for blood sample prefiltration.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Liying Jiang, Xianghao Lan, Linjiao Ren, Mingzhu Yang, Bo Wei, Yang Wang
Summary: This study developed a digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (digital-LAMP) microfluidic chip to enhance the sensitivity of nucleic acid detection. The chip could generate and collect droplets for digital-LAMP reactions, which only took 40 minutes at a constant temperature of 63 degrees C. The chip enabled highly accurate quantitative detection with a detection limit of 10(2) copies/μL. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to simulate different droplet generation methods and analyze the fluid dynamics in the microfluidic chip, providing a basis for chip structure design and optimization. The digital-LAMP-functioning chip proposed in this work offers a universal platform for virus analysis.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ge Li, Hao Li, Jiang Zhai, Jiazhuang Guo, Qing Li, Cai-Feng Wang, Su Chen
Summary: A visual microfluidic detection platform using CdTe quantum dots was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of veterinary drugs. The CdTe QDs showed selective fluorescence response to specific veterinary drugs, with different ligands displaying varying degrees of response. The platform offers simple operation, low cost, rapid sensing, and good sensitivity for quantitative detection of veterinary drug residues.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Morteza Azizi, Ann Nguyen, Belgin Dogan, Shiying Zhang, Kenneth W. Simpson, Alireza Abbaspourrad
Summary: The EL-MVM2 platform quickly generates a wide range of gradient-based antibiotic concentrations with high precision, making it an effective, time-saving, and precise alternative to conventional antibiotic susceptibility testing platforms currently used in clinical diagnostics and point-of-care settings.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Qingyu Ruan, Fenxiang Zou, Yang Wang, Yingkun Zhang, Xing Xu, Xiaoye Lin, Tian Tian, Huimin Zhang, Leiji Zhou, Zhi Zhu, Chaoyong Yang
Summary: This paper presents an integrated, low-cost, and portable point-of-care (POC) device for analyzing DNA methylation, capable of detecting as low as 10 pg with a sensitivity that allows for detection down to 5% methylation level within 30 minutes. The POC platform shows great potential for the analysis of tumor-specific circulating DNA, offering advantages of portability, ease of use, high accuracy, and low cost.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Adam Shebindu, Himali Somaweera, Zachary Estlack, Jungtae Kim, Jungkyu Kim
Summary: This study introduces a programmable microfluidic platform (PMP) combined with isotachophoresis (ITP) for fully automated optimization of multiple analytes. By utilizing lifting-gate microvalve technology, a two-dimensional microvalve array was designed and fabricated to seamlessly integrate with an ITP chip for automated buffer selection and repetitive ITP procedures. The optimal buffer combination of 40mM borate and 100mM Tris-HCl successfully preconcentrated all analytes during a single ITP run.
Article
Biophysics
Fulin Zhu, Xiaojun Bian, Hongcai Zhang, Yanli Wen, Qian Chen, Yongliang Yan, Liang Li, Gang Liu, Juan Yan
Summary: This study investigates the self-assembling of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids in microfluidic devices, creating a three-dimensional reaction space at nanoscale and improving reaction kinetics during molecular recognition. The novel FNA-engineered microfluidic interface enables a one-stop assay of E. coli O157:H7 with high bacterial detection efficiency, selectivity, and precision. The application of the FNA interface shows promising potential for developing microfluidic biosensors for other pathogenic microorganisms or circulating tumor cells by changing the aptamers.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Collette Allen, Carrie Turner, Sumit Kalsi, David Jamieson, Yuetao Li, Hywel Morgan, J. Mark Sutton
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Spencer, Hywel Morgan
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Paul Elkington, Hywel Morgan
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Victor Calero, Pablo Garcia-Sanchez, Antonio Ramos, Hywel Morgan
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Laura C. Bonney, Robert J. Watson, Gillian S. Slack, Andrew Bosworth, Nadina I. Vasileva Wand, Roger Hewson
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Anne J. Jaaskelainen, Tarja Sironen, Minttu Kaloinen, Laura Kakkola, Ilkka Julkunen, Roger Hewson, Manfred W. Weidmann, Ali Mirazimi, Robert Watson, Olli Vapalahti
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel C. Spencer, Teagan F. Paton, Kieran T. Mulroney, Timothy J. J. Inglis, J. Mark Sutton, Hywel Morgan
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathryn A. Ryan, Kevin R. Bewley, Susan A. Fotheringham, Gillian S. Slack, Phillip Brown, Yper Hall, Nadina Wand, Anthony C. Marriott, Breeze E. Cavell, Julia A. Tree, Lauren Allen, Marilyn J. Aram, Thomas J. Bean, Emily Brunt, Karen R. Buttigieg, Daniel P. Carter, Rebecca Cobb, Naomi S. Coombes, Steve J. Findlay-Wilson, Kerry J. Godwin, Karen E. Gooch, Jade Gouriet, Rachel Halkerston, Debbie J. Harris, Thomas H. Hender, Holly E. Humphries, Laura Hunter, Catherine M. K. Ho, Chelsea L. Kennard, Stephanie Leung, Stephanie Longet, Didier Ngabo, Karen L. Osman, Jemma Paterson, Elizabeth J. Penn, Steven T. Pullan, Emma Rayner, Oliver Skinner, Kimberley Steeds, Irene Taylor, Tom Tipton, Stephen Thomas, Carrie Turner, Robert J. Watson, Nathan R. Wiblin, Sue Charlton, Bassam Hallis, Julian A. Hiscox, Simon Funnell, Mike J. Dennis, Catherine J. Whittaker, Michael G. Catton, Julian Druce, Francisco J. Salguero, Miles W. Carroll
Summary: The study found that high doses of SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets can cause viral RNA shedding in the upper respiratory tract and lung pathology, while lower doses result in milder pathological symptoms. Ferrets re-challenged after virus shedding ceased are fully protected from acute lung pathology.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Pamela C. Proud, Daphne Tsitoura, Robert J. Watson, Brendon Y. Chua, Marilyn J. Aram, Kevin R. Bewley, Breeze E. Cavell, Rebecca Cobb, Stuart Dowall, Susan A. Fotheringham, Catherine M. K. Ho, Vanessa Lucas, Didier Ngabo, Emma Rayner, Kathryn A. Ryan, Gillian S. Slack, Stephen Thomas, Nadina Wand, Paul Yeates, Christophe Demaison, Weiguang Zeng, Ian Holmes, David C. Jackson, Nathan W. Bartlett, Francesca Mercuri, Miles W. Carroll
Summary: The study demonstrated that prophylactic intranasal administration of the TLR2/6 agonist INNA-051 effectively reduced levels of viral RNA in the nose and throat in a SARS-CoV-2 ferret infection model.
Article
Immunology
Karen E. Gooch, Trevor R. F. Smith, Francisco J. Salguero, Susan A. Fotheringham, Robert J. Watson, Mike J. Dennis, Alastair Handley, Holly E. Humphries, Stephanie Longet, Tom Tipton, Charlotte Sarfas, Laura Sibley, Gillian S. Slack, Emma Rayner, Kathryn A. Ryan, Katherine Schultheis, Stephanie J. Ramos, Andrew White, Sue Charlton, Sally A. Sharpe, Fergus Gleeson, Laurent M. Humeau, Yper Hall, Kate E. Broderick, Miles W. Carroll
Summary: The study assessed the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of a synthetic DNA vaccine candidate in rhesus macaques, finding that a two-dose regimen induced stronger immune responses and improved viral protection. Histopathological examination showed no evidence of vaccine-enhanced disease in vaccinated animals after challenge with SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joana P. Bernardes, Uwe John, Noemi Woltermann, Martha Valiadi, Ruben J. Hermann, Lutz Becks
Summary: This study demonstrated that exposing unicellular green algae to a rotifer predator for just 500 generations was enough to lead to a convex trade-off between body cells and germ cells, incorporating the evolved changes into the prey genome. The evolution of cell groups was confirmed to be heritable, characterized by a convex trade-off curve between reproduction and survival, with identical mutations evolving in all cell group isolates. This research sheds light on the poorly understood major evolutionary transition towards multicellularity at the ecological and genetic level.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Virology
Robert J. Watson, Julia Tree, Susan A. Fotheringham, Yper Hall, Xiaofeng Dong, Kimberley Steeds, Jade Gouriet, Francisco J. Salguero, Christopher Burton, James Pitman, Linda Easterbrook, Kevin S. Richards, Jane Burton, Kevin Bewley, Christine Bruce, Julian A. Hiscox, Miles W. Carroll, Simon G. P. Funnell
Summary: The ferret has been characterized as a model for Ebola virus infection, reproducing disease and lethality observed in humans. This model can be utilized to test medical countermeasures that prevent or treat long-term EBOV persistence in immune-privileged sites. The presence of specific genomic changes in EBOV in the eye suggests the importance of studying interventions to clear persistent virus.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Sally Anderson, Ben Hadwen, Chris Brown
Summary: The latest development in TFT-DMF technology, aQdrop (TM), shows promising applications in molecular diagnostics, including COVID-19 testing. With 41,000 independently addressable electrodes, TFT-DMF can manipulate droplets of any size and shape to perform multiple parallel reactions, demonstrating its potential for complex assays and sample processing.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Anna Desalvo, Faith Bateman, Edward James, Hywel Morgan, Tim Elliott