Nanomaterial enhanced electrochemical biosensors to rapid antimicrobial resistance diagnostics

The growing threat posed by antimicrobial resistance on the healthcare and economic well-being of mankind is increasing the need to develop novel and improved diagnostic for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which can be done at a point of care (PoC). PoC diagnostics facilitate appropriate therapy and better patient management strategies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) sensors are suitable for label-free detection of the blaNDM gene.1 This gene is an antimicrobial resistance factor in carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae.1 Thus far, achieving a detection limit of 100 pM for PCR amplified blaNDM by EIS on gold screen printed electrodes (SPE) has been possible.1 Lowering the limit of detection (LOD) further is key to enable the detection of analyte in samples that have not undergone lengthy sample processing such as DNA amplification. The use of nanoparticles for electrochemical biosensor enhancement has been demonstrated.2 However, the individual parameters that lead to enhanced performance due to nanoparticle modifications have not been fully understood.2 With this understanding a possibility ensues for the fine tuning of electrode performance, including optimisation of sensitivity, which is highly beneficial for PoC rapid diagnostics.