Use of a fluidic device
AssigneeGradientech AB
InventorsJohan Kreuger, Sara Thorslund, Zhigang Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluidic device (1) has a culture chamber (10) configured to house a 3D culture matrix (2) comprising a culture of microorganisms (6). A concentration gradient of a test substance is established over the 3D culture matrix (2) by providing respective fluid flows at different end portions (12, 14) of the culture chamber (10) and comprising different concentrations of the test substance. The response of the microorganisms (6) to the test substance is determined based on the position of a border zone (5) in the 3D culture matrix (2).
Claims11
A method of determining a response of a microorganism to a test substance, said method comprising:
- providing a culture of said microorganism in a three-dimensional, 3D, culture matrix arranged in a culture chamber of a fluidic device having a first fluid channel flanking a first end portion of said culture chamber and a second fluid channel flanking a second, different end portion of said culture chamber;
- connecting an input of said first fluid channel to a first fluid flow comprising said test substance at a first concentration;
- connecting an input of said second fluid channel to a second fluid flow lacking said test substance or comprising said test substance at a second concentration that is lower than said first concentration to form a concentration gradient of said test substance over at least a portion of said 3D culture matrix;
- taking at least one computer-processable image of said 3D culture matrix;
- identifying, in said at least one image, any border zone in said 3D culture matrix between a growth zone of growing microorganism, and non-growth zone lacking growth of said microorganism by processing said at least one image by a computer configured to identify said border zone, wherein growth of said microorganism in said growth zone is not inhibited by said test substance;
- determining a position, relative to said first end portion and/or said second, different end portion, of said any border zone by processing said at least one image by said computer;
- determining a width of said border zone by processing said at least one image by said computer;
- determining a minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC, of said microorganism to said test substance based on said position of said border zone by correlating said position to a concentration or a concentration range of said test substance based on gradient information defining concentration versus position in said 3D culture matrix for said concentration gradient;
- and
- determining a resistance of said microorganism to said test substance based on said width of said border zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.