Molecular test and downstream Next Generation Sequencing for a fast and comprehensive diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB-SeqDisk)

The objective of this project is the development of a highly efficient, closed lab-on-a-chip platform as LabDisk. A time and cost optimized diagnosis of tuberculosis should be run on the disk in CD format. As key property the comprised workflow from lysis to PCR will be integrated on the LabDisk. Due to parallel PCR assays in the LabDisk, tuberculosis is tested with a point-of-care test. As well as the resistance markers of the two main drugs used against tuberculosis, INH and RMP.

The objective of this project is the development of a highly efficient, closed lab-on-a-chip platform as LabDisk. A time and cost optimized diagnosis of tuberculosis should be run on the disk in CD format. As key property the comprised workflow from lysis to PCR will be integrated on the LabDisk. Due to parallel PCR assays in the LabDisk, tuberculosis is tested with a point-of-care test as well as the resistance markers of the two main drugs used against tuberculosis, INH and RMP.   

Furthermore, there should be the possibility to extract the pathogen DNA in an easy way for following diagnostic steps. In case tuberculosis is diagnosed without resistances the therapy can start immediately. For the other cases the provided pathogen DNA is evaluated with next generation sequencing, whereof a comprised resistance profile can be evaluated. Therefore, an individualized and efficient therapy can be applied in less than five days, even if a multidrug and extensively drug-resistant TB is present.