Grants and Contributions:
Title:
Phage Susceptibility Testing (PST) with Microfluidics
Agreement Number:
1036567
Agreement Value:
$157,000.00
Agreement Date:
Sep 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2026
Description:
Antimicrobial resistance is a top 10 global health threat and innovations are required to combat a silent pandemic expected to cause more deaths than cancer by 2050. A leading candidate is the use of the oldest natural enemy of bacteria—their own viruses called bacteriophages or phages. There are no specific clinical criteria for bacteriophage susceptibility and testing with routine methods is cumbersome and manual. This Project proposes the use of a microfluidic device to screen bacteriophages for E. coli, Staphylococcus (including methicillin-resistant S. aureus), and Pseudomonas (including P. aeruginosa). This device expands on Sci-Bot technology using two fluorescent detectors for a screen of up to 30 phages in as little as 3 hours, to a tailored digital microfluidic chamber allowing for single droplet analysis, titration, and synergy. This builds on work with HHT and CRAFT colleagues and will be expanded to an NRC and Innovate UK collaboration on phage production.
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:
In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.
Location:
Toronto, Ontario, CA M5B 1W8
Reference Number:
172-2025-2026-Q3-1036567
Agreement Type:
Grant
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
108032533
Recipient Type:
Academia
Recipient's Legal Name:
Unity Health Toronto
Federal Riding Name:
Toronto Centre
Federal Riding Number:
35109
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Purpose:
Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.
NAICS Code:
541710