Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) microfluidic system applicable in resource-limited conditions

Antibiotics have been used as the panacea of bacterial infections. However, the widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics by the public, physicians, and agricultural industries has accelerated the natural development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is one of the biggest threats to global health.

• Using a patented technology named barcode cell sensor, miniature bars can be formed from otherwise invisible small numbers of bacteria, realizing a microscope-free sensing at sub-macroscopic scale, largely accelerating the test.

• The new technology can provide information about any drug-resistant pathogens present in samples by simply using a cell phone, enabling a quick screening of samples via onsite testing within 3 hours.
• The test results of the “barcode” cell sensor are consistent with those conducted with conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).
• The test can be completed in three hours, which is much faster than conventional AST that requires 16 to 24 hours for results. 

• Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2023

• The invention could potentially be used on a large-scale in resource-limited situations such as frequent safety screenings of water, food and public facilities.
• It can be used in urgent surveys of massive samples during an infectious disease outbreak, particularly in developing countries. 

• PCT application no. PCT/CN2022/094665