Clinical
Clinical specimens frequently present challenges to rapid detection protocols because of delays caused by sample processing, pure culture requirements, and poor assay sensitivities and/or specificities. ABL researchers have overcome many of these problems by perfecting rapid, simple sample processing procedures, eliminating the need for pure cultures, and improving assays sensitivities and specificities.
Human blood, saliva, and fecal samples can be processed directly by RAPTOR fiber optic biosensor assays after pH adjustments and/or sample suspension in buffered saline. An assay has also been developed to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from human lung tissue sections after grinding and resuspension in buffered saline. Research currently is in progress to improve biosensor assay sensitivities through improved sample processing/concentration procedures.