New 36-Minute Rapid Antibiotic Test Could Save Millions from Drug-Resistant Infections

Scientists at McGill University have developed a revolutionary diagnostic system that could transform how doctors treat infections. The device, dubbed QolorPhAST, can identify bacteria and determine which antibiotics will effectively kill them in just 36 minutes. This marks a massive leap forward from traditional laboratory tests, which typically require 48 to 72 hours to provide similar answers.

The innovation arrives as the world faces an escalating crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Lead author and bioengineering professor Sara Mahshid warns that we are currently "losing the race" against these drug-resistant "superbugs," which already claim more than one million lives annually—a death toll higher than that of HIV/AIDS or malaria. Because traditional testing is so slow, physicians are often forced to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics blindly, a practice that further drives the evolution of resistance.

Developed in Professor Mahshid’s lab, QolorPhAST utilizes nanoscale sensors inspired by architectures found in nature. When live bacteria metabolize, these sensors undergo rapid color shifts. Machine-learning algorithms then analyze these shifts to identify the bacterial species and their vulnerability to specific drugs without waiting for the bacteria to grow in a culture. This multidisciplinary effort combined expertise in microfluidics, optical physics, and artificial intelligence.

In blind clinical trials involving 54 urine samples, the device matched the accuracy of "gold-standard" laboratory methods while delivering results in a fraction of the time. Described as low-cost, portable, and automated, QolorPhAST is designed for broad deployment in clinics to treat common conditions like urinary tract and sexually transmitted infections. The McGill team is now moving toward commercialization, aiming to bring this life-saving tool to healthcare settings worldwide.

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McGill researchers unveil rapid test to combat antimicrobial resistance

McGill researchers develop quick test that stands to curb antimicrobial resistance

Device Suggests Correct Antibiotic in 36 Minutes

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Keywords: 36-Minute Rapid Antibiotic Test

36-Minute Rapid Antibiotic Test

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