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 <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em>, 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 <em>Mycobacterium</em> species, and subsequent tests in collaboration with Niaz Banaei at Stanford Health Care Clinical Microbiology Laboratory will use clinical TB patient samples.