The twenty-first century has seen a global rise in bacterial infections exhibiting antimicrobial-resistance (AMR). More than ninety percent of chronic wounds contain microbial biofilms that exhibit AMR, and the bacteria responsible for several of these recalcitrant infections are called ESKAPEE pathogens. Eradicating ESKAPEE pathogenic infections is challenging, but bacteriophage (phage) therapy is emerging as a new tool to combat AMR in biofilms. Phages thrive in nature, but phage isolation and cultivation from environmental samples requires expensive instrumentation and trained operators. In order to streamline the rapid identification and isolation of phages, we propose to develop a microfluidic impedance-based bacteriophage capture and antibiofilm analyzer (MIPACAA). The portable analyzer will use interchangeable, micro-scale biofilms to capture and enrich phages with antibiofilm activity from environmental samples. During Phase I, we will develop an impedance-based microfluidic biofilm platform for two ESKAPEE pathogens and measure biofilm biomass reduction due to phage infection. Phase II research will focus on development and characterization of an alpha prototype for the handheld, ruggedized analyzer that can be used in the field. The developed micro-biofilm capture and storage platform with antibiofilm activity analysis will provide a robust and cost-saving system for evaluating environmentally-sourced phages that are effective against ESKAPEE pathogens.
