Petri Dish Gets a Makeover

A new type of diagnostic could let hospital laboratories identify the presence of dangerous bacteria up to five times faster than conventional methods. The test could reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and provide more reliable water-quality test results. The key to the process is a membrane with nanosized pores, which enable rapid growth and identification of live organisms.

The new technology, developed by Hubbard, Ohio-based Nanologix, speeds up the process by wicking bacteria and viruses through the pores of its membrane, aiding growth. Then the membrane is plucked off the agar and placed on a staining plate.

Source: technologyreview.comAdded: 25 August 2011