Fast blood test to quickly find the right antibiotic
Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing via Selective Lysis and Nanogap Trapping
This project is building a rapid blood test that identifies the bacteria causing an infection and tells doctors which antibiotics should work within about 75 minutes for patients with bloodstream infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319021 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a suspected bloodstream infection, this work is creating a small-device test that separates bacteria from your blood by gently breaking blood cells while keeping bacteria intact. The system uses a porous silica filter and tiny nanogaps to capture and identify the bacteria and then exposes them to antibiotics to see which drugs stop them. Results are intended to be ready in roughly 75 minutes from the blood draw without needing traditional overnight cultures. Faster answers could let your care team pick a targeted antibiotic much sooner.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with suspected bloodstream infections or sepsis who need rapid guidance on which antibiotic to start and who can provide a blood sample at participating sites.
Not a fit: Patients without bloodstream infections, those whose pathogens are not captured by the device, or those unable to access participating clinical sites may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive the correct antibiotic far sooner, potentially lowering side effects, reducing hospital time, and slowing the spread of resistant bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: Other rapid phenotypic antibiotic-testing methods have shown promise in research settings, but combining direct blood separation with nanogap trapping for a 75-minute result is a newer approach that still needs clinical validation.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devoe, Don L — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Devoe, Don L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.