Bacterial Infections Diagnosed Using Nanotechnology

Summary posted by Meridian on 2/19/2008
Source: AZoNano.com
Author: n/a

Researchers from the University of Central Florida in the U.S. have developed a new technique for quickly identifying bacterial infections using sugar-coated gold nanoparticles. The article says: “As more bacterial strains resistant to many drugs emerge, it becomes more critical to quickly identify infections and the antibiotics that would most effectively treat them. Such quick identifications become even more important during epidemics because large numbers of samples would have to be tested at once.” According to researcher Manuel Perez, the technique can also be used by research institutions and pharmaceutical companies to screen drugs for antibacterial activity. The technique uses gold nanoparticles coated with a sugar and a sugar-binding protein. In the presence of different antibiotics, the gold nanoparticles display optical variations that can be read by a spectrophotometer to determine which antibiotics effectively stop bacteria growth and which do not. According to the article, results are rendered within a few hours, as compared to conventional methods which can take several days. The article says that, additionally, the technique can test hundreds of samples at once using small amounts of bacteria and antibiotics and that the method does not require new equipment. The article can be viewed online at the link below.

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our team contact us site map	Bacterial Infections Diagnosed Using Nanotechnology Summary posted by Meridian on 2/19/2008 Source: AZoNano.com Author: n/a Researchers from the University of Central Florida in the U.S. have developed a new technique for quickly identifying bacterial infections using sugar-coated gold nanoparticles. The article says: “As more bacterial strains resistant to many drugs emerge, it becomes more critical to quickly identify infections and the antibiotics that would most effectively treat them. Such quick identifications become even more important during epidemics because large numbers of samples would have to be tested at once.” According to researcher Manuel Perez, the technique can also be used by research institutions and pharmaceutical companies to screen drugs for antibacterial activity. The technique uses gold nanoparticles coated with a sugar and a sugar-binding protein. In the presence of different antibiotics, the gold nanoparticles display optical variations that can be read by a spectrophotometer to determine which antibiotics effectively stop bacteria growth and which do not. According to the article, results are rendered within a few hours, as compared to conventional methods which can take several days. The article says that, additionally, the technique can test hundreds of samples at once using small amounts of bacteria and antibiotics and that the method does not require new equipment. The article can be viewed online at the link below. The original article may still be available at www.azonano.com/News.asp?NewsID=5914 As tagged by Meridian Institute: Health And Medical: Diseases, Diagnostics Nanomaterials: Metal Nanoparticle Regions: North America Stakeholders: Industry, Academia Related Forums: Health and Medical print format	NDN Home Subscribe Manage Subscription Search News Archives Understanding Public Debate on Nanotechnologies: Options for Framing Public Policy -- The Innovation Society (2/8/2010) The Governance and Ethics Unit of the Directorate General for Research (DG Research) of the European Commission (EC) has published an overview paper on options for framing public policy on nanotechnologies. [More] UN Patent Filings Dropped for 1st Time Since 1978 -- ABC news (2/8/2010) The United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an entity through which a company can, for a fee, file a request for patent protection in any or all of the 142 countries that have subscribed to the U.N.'s Patent Cooperation Treaty, reported that the number of international patent filings dropped last year for the first time since 1978. [More] TECHNOLOGY: Science Panel Probes Renewable Energy's Current Use of China's Rare Metals -- Environment & Energy Daily (2/8/2010) A United States House of Representatives Science and Technology subcommittee this week will hold a hearing on rare earth mineral production and the resource's role in the growing clean energy industry. [More] Nanofood for Thought -- Nature Nanotechnology (2/5/2010) This editorial, in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, is in response to the recent report, "Nanotechnologies and Food", released in January by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, United Kingdom, that criticized the food industry for failing to be transparent about its research into the uses of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. [More] More News... Learn how to include these headlines on your own website by clicking here. Please email us if you require text-only versions of the daily emails.