NEWS
DNA sequencing in hospital cuts time to diagnose infections
In a UK first, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Barts Health NHS Trust have developed a DNA sequencing approach that can be implemented onsite in hospitals so they can diagnose bacterial infections faster and more accurately.
This service will help doctors deliver
better-targeted treatments earlier. For patients, this means a quicker recovery, fewer complications such as sepsis, and a reduced risk of spreading infections to others. This technology is now being piloted to investigate and prevent hospital outbreaks caused by antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’ – a growing global threat. The new approach, published recently
in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, confirms that the DNA sequencing method can reliably detect which bacteria are causing an infection and which antibiotics will work best to treat it. The approach delivers results within two days, significantly faster than traditional methods which can take approximately seven days and, in some difficult cases, up to eight weeks.
Since September 2024, over 2,000 patient samples have been analysed using the approach across seven London hospitals, including the Royal London, Whipps Cross, Newham, St Bartholomew’s, Homerton, Lewisham, and Greenwich. The goal is to make rapid DNA sequencing a routine part of hospital diagnostics across the NHS, bringing faster, more accurate infection testing to patients nationwide. Ian Butler, Lead Clinical Scientist in Medical Microbiology at Barts Health NHS Trust, said: “This is the first comprehensive clinical validation study of its kind in the UK – and one of the first globally – to test DNA sequencing with this new technology for diagnosing a wide range of infections. By analysing bacterial genetic material directly, we can detect infections more accurately, even complex infections, and much faster than traditional methods. This means we can precisely diagnose the infection and identify the right treatment sooner.” n Butler I, Turner O, Mohammed K, et al. Standardization of 16S rRNA gene sequencing using nanopore long read sequencing technology for clinical diagnosis of culture negative infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 15:1 517208. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2025.1517208
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HealthTech Research Centre for IVDs launches
The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in In Vitro Diagnostics (HRC IVD) recently launched, bringing together industry, academia, and the healthcare sector to discuss the Centre’s ambitions and priorities. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London, the HRC IVD will support the development and adoption of diagnostics. With a focus on cancer, infectious and
respiratory diseases, critical care, and primary and social care, the HRC IVD offers expertise in regulatory approvals, real-world evidence generation, health economics, and overcoming adoption barriers. Professor George Hanna, Director of the HRC IVD, opened the event by highlighting the Centre’s critical role in bridging the gap between innovation and clinical practice. “The launch of the Centre marks a pivotal moment in the UK’s approach to diagnostics” said Professor Hanna. “We will address the generic challenges faced by innovators, using research directed at overcoming evidence needs gaps. Our ‘one-stop shop’ research facility aims to create a pipeline of new diagnostic
excellence for industry, regulators, patients and the NHS.”
The HRC IVD team, currently based at Hammersmith Hospital, is also establishing a Real-World Challenge Laboratory at the Imperial White City Campus, which will house a Human Factors Simulation Laboratory. This facility, available from December 2025, will assess system performance when introducing new diagnostics – evaluating safety, efficiency, utility, and flexibility – while also providing opportunities for skills training. The event featured presentations from
leads across the Centre’s Methodology and Clinical Themes. Find out more by visiting the website at
www.hrc-invitro.nihr.ac.uk.
WGS service to tackle hepatitis C
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched genomic surveillance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a bid to monitor drug resistance, tackle harder to treat viral strains, and detect outbreaks sooner. The technology will allow a better understanding of treatment outcomes to inform national treatment programmes as well as transmission patterns to stop ongoing transmissions among populations at risk of hepatitis C. New data published recently by the UKHSA show a major drop in chronic HCV infections across England. The decline in people living with the virus is largely due to the efforts of NHS England’s HCV Elimination Programme, with increased testing and improved access to Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) with improved treatment efficacy since 2015. However, resistance to antivirals does
emerge. Data from 2023 showed that 5% of subtype 1a samples from patients who have not had treatment before, were resistant to one class of HCV antiviral drugs.
In addition, some HCV subtypes that are prevalent in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, but are also found in this country, show inherent resistance to some DAAs. In order to monitor this situation
more closely, UKHSA has established a genomics surveillance programme, to look for genetic markers of drug resistance. Dr Monica Desai, Hepatitis C lead at UKHSA, said: “Early diagnosis and effective anti-viral drugs have played a huge part in driving down hepatitis C in this country, but we must always be alert to the emergence of resistance putting progress in jeopardy. Through our genomic surveillance programme we can monitor changes in how the virus is responding to treatment and more quickly respond if resistance increases.” NHS England launched a home testing service in May 2023, with over 60,000 people ordering tests so far. The testing service is available to everyone over the age of 18 in England.
APRIL 2025
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