The Prototype Biochip That Can Perform UTI Diagnosis within an Hour

An Integrated Diagnostic Biochip for Point of Care Pathogen Identification for Urinary Tract Infections:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most common bacterial infections and poses a significant healthcare burden. The standard culture-based diagnosis of UTI has a typical delay of two to three days. In the absence of definitive microbiological diagnosis at the point of care, physicians frequently initiate empirical broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment, and this has contributed to the emergence of resistant pathogens.  Microfluidics-based biosensors are emerging as promising technology platforms for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis of infectious diseases.  The goal of this multidisciplinary collaborative project is to develop an integrated diagnostic biochip capable of rapid molecular diagnosis of UTI, including pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.  The prototype includes a reader device and disposable cartridges that can be placed in the physicians’ office.  We envision that the device will be able to deliver accurate diagnostic results in less than 1 hour after a patient’s urine sample is collected.