Navigation auf uzh.ch

Suche

Life Science Zurich Communication & Events

Accelerating Diagnostics of Multi-Resistant Tuberculosis

..
Dr. Prajwal at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine (IREM) at the Bio-Technopark in Schlieren (Image: Nathalie Huber)

UZH molecular biologist Prajwal and a team of researchers have developed a comprehensive rapid diagnostic test for multi-resistant tuberculosis pathogens. He now wants to turn the test into a commercial product with the help of a UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship.

Tuberculosis is a highly infectious bacterial disease. Anyone who gets infected with extremely resistant pathogens can no longer be treated with common antibiotics. Cases of multi-resistant and extremely resistant tuberculosis are on the rise worldwide – especially in countries of the former Soviet Union, Africa and Asia.

“One of the reasons for this is that current diagnostic tests either take too long or are too inaccurate to identify the pathogens and their resistances,” explains UZH molecular biologist Prajwal. This is the gap that the India-born researcher wants to close with a new, rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis. Together with other researchers, he’s developed a molecular-based test that can determine whether a bacterial tuberculosis infection has occurred and which antibiotics could be effective against the pathogen.

With the support of the UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship the new test shall be introduced to European markets as quickly as possible, followed by roll-out on global markets.

UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship

UZH News