I-Corps: Commercialization of electrochemical sensor technology for pathogen detection

I-Corps：用于病原体检测的电化学传感器技术的商业化

• 批准号: 1542812
• 负责人: Edgar Goluch
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Northeastern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-05-15 至 2016-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1542812&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Commercialization; electrochemical; sensor; technology

There are ongoing efforts to develop sensors to monitor for wound infections. The vast majority of smart-bandage research and development is focused on infection sensors based on general characteristics, such as pH, temperature, and gases. While simpler to implement, these general characteristics also fluctuate significantly and can change due to a large number of factors, resulting in unreliable identification. The current standard to monitor for wound infections relies on an initial human assessment, either patient or caregiver, of when an infection is developing. The decision is based on visual inspection, smell of the wound, and other patient symptoms, such as fever. When an infection is suspected, samples are collected from the wound and sent to a central facility for analysis. At the centralized facility, plate culturing is the gold standard for pathogen identification. The technique is simple, but requires 24 hours or more for identification.This proposal aims to create, test, and disseminate electrochemical sensor technology for quantitative microbiological studies. Specifically, this approach will utilize micro-fabricated electrochemical sensors to rapidly and selectively detect molecules produced by bacteria. The detected molecules are uniquely produced by only certain species of cells; therefore, by detecting the molecules it is possible to determine which cells and how many of them are present in a sample. The proposed technology will allow caregivers to remotely monitor their patients and provide them with better care. In a hospital post-op or burn ward, rapid identification is the primary customer need, as wounds are monitored routinely, but require time-consuming tests when an infection is suspected to identify the pathogen. In the home, patients must determine on their own if they have an infection developing or wait until a home healthcare worker visits them. The proposed product could reduce the visit frequency for home healthcare professionals if the wounds are monitored remotely, decreasing the workload for an already overburdened and understaffed system.

人们正在努力开发传感器来监测伤口感染。绝大多数智能绷带研发都集中在基于一般特征（例如 pH、温度和气体）的感染传感器上。虽然实施起来比较简单，但这些一般特征也会大幅波动，并且可能会因大量因素而发生变化，从而导致识别不可靠。目前监测伤口感染的标准依赖于患者或护理人员对感染发生时间的初步评估。该决定基于目视检查、伤口气味和其他患者症状（例如发烧）。当怀疑感染时，从伤口采集样本并发送给中央设施进行分析。在集中设施中，平板培养是病原体鉴定的黄金标准。该技术简单，但需要 24 小时或更长时间才能识别。该提案旨在创建、测试和传播用于定量微生物研究的电化学传感器技术。具体来说，这种方法将利用微型电化学传感器来快速、选择性地检测细菌产生的分子。检测到的分子仅由某些种类的细胞独特产生；因此，通过检测分子，可以确定样品中存在哪些细胞以及有多少细胞。 拟议的技术将使护理人员能够远程监控患者并为他们提供更好的护理。在医院术后或烧伤病房，快速识别是客户的主要需求，因为伤口会被定期监测，但当怀疑感染时需要进行耗时的测试来识别病原体。在家里，患者必须自行确定是否出现感染，或者等到家庭医护人员来探望他们。如果远程监控伤口，拟议的产品可以减少家庭医疗保健专业人员的就诊频率，从而减少已经不堪重负且人手不足的系统的工作量。