Magnetic Capturing Technique for Sputum Sample Processing

Jianghong Rao of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop a magnet-based system for capturing and concentrating the TB bacterium from sputum biosamples to facilitate TB diagnosis. The system is based on conjugating magnetic nanoparticles to bacteriophage specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, so that a simple magnet can capture phage-bound TB bacteria from patient sputum. This process will be optimized, including the stability and activity of the magnetized phage in a lyophilized powder form and at a high ambient temperature. A prototype device for the magnetic phage system will be designed and tested for its ability to generate purified target bacteria ready for lysis and PCR-based diagnostic testing. Initial tests will use a non-TB Mycobacterium species, and subsequent tests in collaboration with Niaz Banaei at Stanford Health Care Clinical Microbiology Laboratory will use clinical TB patient samples.