The microfluidic multiplex biosensor carries proteins attached to a polymer film that recognize the antibiotics.
Photo: Patrick Seeger
Freiburg researchers are testing a biosensor for personalized dosing of medications.
A team of engineers and biotechnologists at the University of Freiburg has for the first time shown in mammals that the concentration of antibiotics in the body can be determined using breath samples. The breath measurements also corresponded to the antibiotic concentrations in the blood. The team’s biosensor – a multiplex chip that allows simultaneous measurement of several specimens and test substances – will in future enable personalized dosing of medicines against infectious diseases on-site and help to minimize the development of resistant strains of bacteria.
The sensor developed by the research group headed by Dr. Can Dincer and H. Ceren Ates, FIT Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, and Prof. Dr. Wilfried Weber, Professor of Synthetic Biology and a member of the team of speakers at the Cluster of Excellence CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, is based on synthetic proteins that react to antibiotics and thus generate a current change. The researchers’ results are now being published in the journal Advanced Materials.
Previously researchers could only detect traces of antibiotics in the breath
The researchers tested the biosensor on the blood, plasma, urine, saliva and breath samples of pigs who had received antibiotics. They were able to show that the result achieved with biosensors in the pigs’ plasma were as accurate as the standard medical laboratory process. Previously, measurement of antibiotic levels in exhaled breath samples was not possible: “Until now researchers could only detect traces of antibiotics in the breath. With our synthetic proteins on a microfluidic chip, we can determine the smallest concentrations in the breath condensate and they correlate with the blood values,” explains Dincer.
Sensor will help to keep antibiotic level stable in severely ill
Physicians need to keep the antibiotics level within a personalized therapeutic range for patients suffering severe infections, at the risk of threats such as sepsis and organ failure or even the death of the patient. Inadequate administration of antibiotics could allow bacteria to mutate so that the medicines no longer work: they become resistant. “Rapid monitoring of antibiotic levels would be a huge advantage in hospital,” says Ates, “it might be possible to fit the method into a conventional face mask.” In another project at the University of Freiburg, Dincer is developing wearable paper sensors for the continuous measurement of biomarkers from exhaled breath. Clinical trials to validate the antibiotic biosensor by testing the system with human samples are planned.
Bacterial proteins as sensor
The microfluidic biosensor bears proteins that can recognize beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin, affixed to a polymer film. Antibiotic of interest in the sample and an enzyme-coupled beta-lactam are in competition to bind these bacterial proteins. This competition generates a current change – like in a battery: the more antibiotic there is present in the sample, the less enzyme product develops, which leads to a lower measurable current. The process is based on a natural receptor protein that resistant bacteria uses to detect the antibiotics that threatens them. “You could say we are beating the bacteria at their own game,” Weber says of the process developed by his group.
Original Article: Antibiotic levels measurable in breath for first time
More from: University of Freiburg
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Microfluidic multiplex biosensor
- LV1 Low Volume Microfluidic System from Microfluidicson May 3, 2024 at 5:01 pm
Responding to customer demand, Microfluidics has launched the LV1 low volume benchtop machine, which brings high shear Microfluidizer processing capabilities to samples as small as 1 ml. Sample ...
- USAMRAA grant supports COPD biosensor project at The Lundquist Instituteon April 23, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The project aims to develop wearable multiplex biosensors to monitor exacerbation risk in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD affects approximately 16 million Americans and is the ...
- Advancing Multiplex Nucleic Acid Detection for Clinical Diagnosticson April 10, 2024 at 1:03 am
Throughout this session, Jeff will discuss novel coding techniques and microfluidic digital detection strategies to improve the multiplexing capabilities of nucleic acid detection to aid in the ...
- Biosensor can detect breast cancer in salivaon February 13, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Literally. A new hand-held biosensor can detect breast cancer biomarkers from a tiny sample of saliva, researchers report Tuesday in the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. "Our device is an ...
- Biological Micro/Nanosystems Laboratoryon November 14, 2023 at 4:32 am
To this end, we have developed paper/polymer-based microfluidic devices for applications in environmental monitoring and biosensors. Major technologies include microfabrication, nucleic acid detection ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Microfluidic multiplex biosensor
[google_news title=”” keyword=”microfluidic multiplex biosensor” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Microfluidic biosensor
- Larysa Baraban receives professorship for Medical Nanotechnology at TUD Dresden University of Technologyon May 6, 2024 at 4:59 pm
Prof. Larysa Baraban took up the newly created Chair of Medical Nanotechnology at the Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus at TUD Dresden University of Technology on 1 May 2024. The professorship was ...
- LV1 Low Volume Microfluidic System from Microfluidicson May 3, 2024 at 5:01 pm
Responding to customer demand, Microfluidics has launched the LV1 low volume benchtop machine, which brings high shear Microfluidizer processing capabilities to samples as small as 1 ml. Sample ...
- Essentials of Micro- and Nanofluidicson April 30, 2024 at 2:39 pm
Theory, fabrication and applications of microfluidic and nanofluidic biosensors. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 370, Issue.
- Rapid Clone Screening of Biosimilar Candidates Using Microfluidic CE-MSon April 25, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Microfluidic capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) is an alternative approach for assessing charge heterogeneity. The microfluidic CE technology boasts low sample ...
- Affinity Biosensors Receives FDA Clearance for the LifeScale AST Systemon April 4, 2024 at 7:53 am
The system employs unique microfluidic sensing that measures ... initial Gram-negative blood culture AST panel. About Affinity Biosensors Affinity Biosensors was founded in 2006 to develop ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Microfluidic biosensor
[google_news title=”” keyword=”microfluidic biosensor” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]