FEATURE BIOPHOTONICS ➤
of the existing devices identify one of the many biomarkers or symptoms… and because they measure only one of the many biomarkers they are not as reliable,’ he explained. ‘They can only provide certain probabilities, which can guide the physicians in their therapy.’
IPHT and HemoSpec are now working to prove the reliability of photonic analysis for a better diagnosis clinical trial. ‘I am very optimistic that we will see this Raman approach as point-of-care test for a fast identification of pathogens, and the determination of their antibiotic resistances, within the next 10 years as diagnostic tool in daily clinical practice’, Prefessor Popp commented.
Enabling light
The development of faster, more reliable systems such as these would not have been possible without the advances made in photonics and optics technologies over the last decade. Not only has photonics become smaller, cheaper, and longer lasting, laser sources have become more efficient and powerful, and detectors more sensitive. ‘Advances [in power, cost,
efficiency] were very important for addressing many of the relevant biomedical questions we are investigating currently and that will hopefully benefit the physicians,’ added Professor Popp. ‘Many of the biomedical differences/variances that are probed with photonic technologies are very small, such as the differences in the immune
Brain
Lung Infection
Heart Liver Kidneys
Sepsis occurs when an infection spreads through the blood, causing symptoms throughout the whole body
response in sepsis patients with an infection and in patients with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome without an infection.’ Popp continued: ‘To tackle those
differences with photonic devices requires good laser sources, high- quality spectrometers and sensitive detectors. In order to be ultimately applied in the hospital routine, all those components have to be cost- efficient, small and user-friendly, allowing non-specialised persons to operate the developed photonic technologies.’ Recently, the IPHT established the InfectoGnostics research campus, a public-private partnership developing new methods in infection diagnostics. In a triad of technology, application and production, more than 30 partners from science, medicine and industry are developing marketable solutions for rapid and cost-effective on-site analysis (point-of-care testing) of infections.
Developing marketable solutions was a theme of the Association for
Molecular Pathology’s scientific meeting, which took place in Austin, Texas in November 2015. The four-day event involved companies showcasing the latest medical diagnostic systems and demonstrated how companies
Changes in
the bacterial Raman spectra due to antibiotic treatment can be identified after 30 minutes of treatment
develop strategies to address specific markets. ‘A term that I heard at this conference was “sample-to- result” – how quickly can you give the sample and get the result? This is what is driving companies right now,’ noted Joe Delfino, vice president of sales, life science and analytical, Excelitas. ‘There will always be a desire
to improve the sample-to-result time to create the optimal patient outcome experience,’ Delfino added. ‘Whether it is a routine doctor visit for strep, or a potentially life threatening complication of a critical infection like sepsis – the ability to identify the infection quickly and begin treatment is critical to medical care professionals.’ Medical diagnostics represents
Sepsis can be identified through fluorescence biomarking 34 ELECTRO OPTICS l FEBRUARY 2016
a growing area for photonics, including for Excelitas, as medical device companies and research
bodies strive to meet healthcare authorities’ demand for faster diagnosis of sepsis and infectious diseases. ‘There is so much going on between the different medical companies who are all trying to keep ahead of the competition and become smaller, faster, and cheaper,’ noted Excelitas’ Aswani. ‘Where we come in is working with companies to provide the light source, work to get the light to the sample, and then get the results from your sample to the detectors.’ ‘From R&D/feasibility study
through to optical-mechanical design and system architecture, Excelitas is involved at the beginning stages of a project to influence design and manufacturability,’ added Delfino.
A question of when It is fair to say that a more effective solution for diagnosing sepsis is imperative for not only reducing mortality, but for preventing the overuse of antibiotics and reducing the health-economic burden. Although it is not likely that a complete, definitive solution for sepsis will be seen hospitals in 2016, recent developments – such the IPHT Raman system – represent a new hope for tackling this huge health problem. ‘I am convinced that various diagnostic approaches for a fast and reliable diagnosis of sepsis will be developed in the future,’ Professor Popp concluded. l
References 1
2
www.world-sepsis-day.org
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2015/08/Sepsis-Action-Plan- 23.12.15-v1.pdf
@electrooptics |
www.electrooptics.com
Excelitas
Created for World Sepsis Day by
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