We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Novel Diagnostic Device Profiles Population of Gut Microbiome

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 05 Aug 2019
Researchers used a three-dimensional (3D) printer to manufacture a novel pill-like diagnostic tool capable of profiling the bacterial species comprising the gut microbiome in the critical area between the stomach and the colon.

Investigators at Tufts University (Medford/Somerville, MA, USA) recently described a novel non-invasive diagnostic tool capable of providing a profile of microbiome populations throughout the entire GI tract. More...
The device was manufactured in a three-dimensional printer.

The surface of the pill was covered with a pH-sensitive coating, so that it did not absorb any substances until it passed through the stomach and entered the small intestine, where the coating dissolved. A semi-permeable membrane separated two chambers in the pill - one containing helical channels that captured bacteria and the other containing a calcium salt-filled chamber, which created an osmotic flow across the membrane that forced the bacteria into the helical channels. A small magnet in the pill enabled controlled movement and targeting via a magnet outside the body. Finally, a fluorescent dye in the salt chamber marked the pill for easy identification after it left the body.

The pill's sampling performance was characterized using realistic in vitro models and validated in vivo in pigs and primates. So far, results have indicated that the bacterial populations recovered from the pills’ microfluidic channels closely resembled the bacterial population demographics of the microenvironment to which the pill was exposed. Despite these promising results, clinical trials will be needed to determine if the pill can be adapted for routine use in humans.

"We are learning quite a lot about the role of gut microbiome in health and disease. However, we know very little about its biogeography," said senior author Dr. Sameer Sonkusale, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University. "The pill will improve our understanding of the role of spatial distribution in the microbiome profile to advance novel treatments and therapies for a number of diseases and conditions."

The microbiome profiler was described in the July 19, 2019, online edition of the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems.

Related Links:
Tufts University


New
Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Hand-Held Immunofluorescence Analyzer
WS-Si1500
New
Automatic Hematology Analyzer
LABAS F9000
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.