Diagnosing bacterial infections could be done much quicker, while antimicrobial resistance might become a thing of the past if the technology proposed by a team of engineers, microbiologists, and machine learning experts pushes through. In the opinion paper published in Cell Biomaterials, the team explained how their proposed sensors could use volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to efficiently detect bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance in bodily fluids. Dr. Andreas Güntner explained that this device would function as a rapid diagnostic tool: “Our idea is to bypass laboratory analysis, which is multi-step process that usually takes hours to days, and sometimes even weeks, with a simple test that gives results within seconds to minutes.” One way of detecting bacterial infections is through smell. Doctors have historically used this method because bacterial infections give off a certain scent. For instance, a foul and putrid odor signals a Clostridium infection and a sweet, grape-like smell hints of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Microbes produce VOCs, and these organic chemicals evaporate easily into air at room temperature. With the proposed chemical sensors, the device would then be capable of identifying specific bacterial infections through the VOCs in blood, urine, and sputum. However, the team pointed out technical challenges they would potentially encounter when developing this technology. One of these is developing the ability of the sensors to efficiently differentiate VOCs produced by bacteria. To address this, they plan to equip the sensors with different binding capacities that could be made possible with the use of various materials, including carbon nanotubes, metal oxides, graphene derivatives, and polymers. The team also plans to use machine learning algorithms to optimize sensor design. These algorithms will be the secret to identifying which VOCs are produced by human cells or which are common among all bacteria. Güntner added: “The overall goal is to translate scientific advances in VOC analysis into practical, reliable tools that can be used in everyday medical practice. Ultimately, we hope this will improve patient outcomes and support antibiotic stewardship.” Read the full article here to learn more about the proposed VOC sensors. Incubated shakers keep cultures healthy and active by mixing them evenly and maintaining a stable temperature. Choose the right working platform size of BEING Scientific incubated shakers for your lab and applications on our website.