Abstract

Bovine brucellosis Biosensors – maintaining India’s White Revolution

Malgorzata Baranowska, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Glasgow

[FROM SPEAKER] The White Revolution describes the dramatic growth of cattle and buffalo in India to provide milk protein, feeding a rapidly expanding population. Current production levels of milk are in excess of 100M tons/year. In order to maintain the herds of cattle associated with this policy, intensive breeding programmes can lead to increased rates of sexually transmitted diseases. In this context, bovine brucellosis is the most common reproductive bacterial infection in cattle in India causing abortion and infertility. Diagnosis in the field would enable timely and efficient disease management to curb the infection, and improve productivity. In this bi-lateral collaboration, we have developed a new technique for sample manipulation and sensing using chip-based diagnostic methodologies based upon specific lipopolysaccharide (sLPS) antigen from Brucella abortus (strain S99). The technology exploits the mechanical forces generated by acoustics. We shape surface acoustic waves (SAW) using phononic crystals – thereby manipulating the distribution of the ultrasonic energy as it interacts with the crude diagnostic sample, such as blood, urine or semen. The phononic structure reflects, refracts or scatters the acoustic energy, enabling us to create complex patterns of ultrasonic waves on a low-cost disposable microchip, which can be coupled to a low-power hand-held electronic reader.