Better Solutions Sought for
Diagnosing Global Health Problems

PRESENTATIONS:
• Development of a Novel Breath Analysis Device for Diagnosis
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

• HIV Diagnostic Tools Based on MEMS and Microfluidics
Technologies for Global Health Problems

SPEAKERS:
• Jose Trevejo, MD, PhD; Draper, BIDMC
• Utkan Demirci, PhD; HMS, BWH, MIT

(No Video Available)

FORUM REPORT:

Two prominent medical professionals discussed diagnosis of infectious diseases during the CIMIT Forum Feb. 20 at Simches Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Presenting were Jose Trevejo, M.D., Ph.D., senior research scientist, Draper Laboratory; and fellow at the Department of Infectious Disease, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Utkan Demirci, M.S., Ph.D., instructor of medicine and health sciences and technology; Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Trevejo said that tuberculosis infects up to a third of the world’s population, and the condition is on the rise in Eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.

He said that despite increasing incidence in the modern age, methods to diagnose the disease are close to 100 years old.

Dr. Trevejo and his team are developing a novel breath analysis device for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

“We are currently in the midst of a clinical trial for the discovery of unique markers or sets of markers for human subjects,” he said. “We are also testing in vitro samples of TB.

"If we are able to identify positive markers, we envision the creation of a working prototype within two years for testing in the field.”

Dr. Demirci said that about 40 million people have HIV, and about 35 million of that figure are found in Third World countries.

He said that to increase access to HIV care and improved treatment outcomes, there is an urgent need for low-cost diagnostic tools that could be implemented in developing countries.

His work revolves around developing a low cost (under $1) disposable, microfluidic device that uses a fingerstick blood sample and produces a CD4 count rapidly (less than a minute) with on-chip sample handling.

He said the CD4 count is used to initiate treatment and to monitor the response of the patient. An inexpensive, easy to use device would accelerate CD4 counting in resource-limited settings.

Dr. Demirci said if his team is successful at obtaining adequate funding, an inexpensive unit could in Third World markets in several years.

Moderating Dr. Trevejo’s session was Lucila Ohno-Machado, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of radiology and health sciences and technology, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Moderating Dr. Demirci’s discussion was Jeffrey Borenstein, Ph.D., director of the Biomedical Engineering Center and Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, Draper Laboratory; and co-principal investor, Tissue Engineering for Vital Organs project, CIMIT.