Developing a point-of-care SLIC
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing a point of care testing for urinary samples
IRAS ID
226977
Contact name
Stephen H. GIllespie
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of St Andrews
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
SLIC is an exciting tool that may help to turn back the tide of growing antibiotic resistance by improving our ability to test whether germs causing infection will be killed by antibiotics. Using an innovative combination of laser light and detection system we can now detect very small numbers of bacteria. Because bacteria grow very rapidly we can tell when organisms are resistant – they grow in the face of antibiotics – and we can do that quickly. Conventional tests take up to 24 hours, we can do the same job in less than 20 minutes for some bugs. The challenge is to turn this promising test, which can only be used in the laboratory, into a test that can be used in a doctor’s surgery or a pharmacy. What we aim to perform a pilot study of a system which, when complete would allow a person with a suspected urinary infection could give a sample to a practice nurse or pharmacist then come back in about two hours and be given the right antibiotic prescription. This will be faster and better for the individual. It will mean that fewer unnecessary prescriptions will be issued, reducing chances that bugs will develop resistance.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0160
Date of REC Opinion
24 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion