Droplet microfluidics for rapid detection and quantitation of bacteria in urine

Conventional methods used in hospital labs for identifying, counting, and characterizing drug resistance of bacteria that exist in infected human samples are slow and cumbersome, and can take as long as 2 days for definitive diagnosis. This can inevitably delay treatment of the infection, which may result in grave clinical outcomes. As a solution to this critical problem, I am developing a medical diagnostic device that can be used to trap individual bacterial cells in microscopic compartments known as "droplets." Once trapped, these bacteria can be identified and counted, based on their specific nucleic acid signatures. Moreover, the bacterial cells can be characterized as sensitive or resistant, based on their response to antibiotics. By relying on measurements from single-cells, definitive diagnosis can be achieved in as little as 1 to 2 hours, much faster than conventional methods. A diagnostic device such as this has the potential to improve patient outcomes as well as curtail the emergence and spread of drug resistant pathogens.