Phages-on-chip

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a life-threatening occurrence, which is due, in part, to the inability to rapidly detect and identify the causative pathogens. In fact, although new diagnostic technologies have emerged, a specific, sensitive and cost-effective device capable of simultaneously achieving high-throughput and multiplex analysis remains elusive. To address this unmet need, this project aims to develop an integrated multiplex lab-on-chip (LoC) device capable of accepting whole blood as a crude biological sample, concentrate and separate bacterial cells, with the endpoint generation of a fluorescent reaction upon detection of pathogens. This will be achieved by synergistically combining the high specificity of bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) as specific probes with the miniaturization and automation of microfluidic devices, allowing samples to be screened for infectious pathogens with sample-in-answer-out results in few hours.