on-chip platform for the rapid detection of drug (antibiotic) susceptibility for pathogens and to determine mechanical properties at cellular level.

Pathogen infections are responsible for the huge cost of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some of the highly infectious pathogens have potential to spread around the world (such as current pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2) and others might have lower rate of onward transmission but could be lethal to a host. In either case, an early diagnosis and ability decide immediate therapeutic route is desirable.
The aim of this project is to develop a generic platform for the rapid evaluation of drug (antibiotic) therapeutic route and to determine mechanical properties of micro-tissue.
The platform will integrate both a microfluidic lab on chip with an organ on a chip device. The microfluidic lab on chip will be developed as a rapid test for the antibiotic susceptibility of a pathogenic load. The organ on a chip side of the project will see efforts focussed on developing an organ on a chip device to evaluate the mechanical properties of the micro-tissue or cell array.