Research on novel micropore technology combined with artificial intelligence for mycobacterial infections

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K16319
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 54030:Infectious disease medicine-related
• Research Institution: Osaka City General Hospital (2022-2023); Osaka University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Okuno Hideo 地方独立行政法人大阪市民病院機構大阪市立総合医療センター(臨床研究センター), 臨床研究センター, 医長 (60768878)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 非結核性抗酸菌 / 迅速診断検査 / 薬剤耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nanopore technology is a novel pathogen detection technique that identifies pathogens by measuring the current-time waveform of a microorganism as it passes through a 3-μm-diameter through-hole, combined with AI identification. We adapted these technologies to the identification of acid-fast bacilli to develop a test system that enables rapid diagnosis of acid-fast bacilli. First, we established an experimental system to directly observe the passage of bacteria through a through-hole under a microscope, and succeeded in visually capturing the actual passage of bacteria through the through-hole. By changing the culture conditions, we were able to obtain a sufficient amount of bacteria for nanopore measurement and improve cluster formation in a shorter period of time than the usual culture time (approximately 1 week~). The challenge is to set culture conditions that can stably inhibit cluster formation.

Free Research Field

感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

直径3μmの貫通孔を微生物が通過する際の電流-時間波形を計測し、病原体を同定する新規の病原体検出技術である、ナノポア技術を抗酸菌の識別に応用し、迅速な抗酸菌診断が可能となる検査系の開発を目的とした。貫通孔を通過する様子を直接顕微鏡下に観察する実験系を確立し、菌体が実際に貫通孔を通過する様子を視覚的にとらえることに成功し、培養条件を変え、通常の培養時間（約1週間～）よりも短期間でナノポア計測には十分な菌量が得られ、cluster形成を改善できた。今後の検討で、より迅速な抗酸菌の同定が可能となることが期待できる。