Graphene-based antibiotic resistance screening test attracts investment

Delft-based companies Applied Nanolayers (ANL) and Soundcell have received a 270,000-euro R&D grant from regional investment fund Uniiq to develop a high-throughput antibiotic sensitivity test that harnesses the power of graphene. The 18-month project will serve to optimize the platform, taking it a step closer to a scalable antibiotic screening solution.

The announcement follows research undertaken at Delft University of Technology and published in Nature Nanotechnology last year where ultrathin bilayer graphene was used to detect nanoscale forces generated by bacteria. By tracking the changes in the bacteria’s nanomotion when different types of antibiotics are administered, the team was able to demonstrate that graphene drums can effectively perform antibiotic susceptibility testing with single-cell sensitivity.