The RES-KIT project, “Genetic pen-site kit to detect antimicrobial resistance genes”, led by CSIC scientists at the Barcelona Microelectronics Institute (IMB-CNM), has been awarded with the second prize in the 2017 edition of ‘Generació d’Idees’. The first prize went to Nanoplastics, a project led by the Nanoscience research institute ICN2.
Scientists of the RES-Kit project.RES-KIT is a diagnosis kit for detecting resistant bacteria in animals. The kit, which would facilitate to quickly decide the most suitable treatment of bovine mastitis for each animal, has been awarded the second prize of ‘Generació d’Idees’ competition.

The new technology has produced a patent application. The team, led by the CSIC scientist Antoni Baldi, from the  l’Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona (IMB-CNM) del CSIC, is formed by Laila Darwich, from the Barcelona Autonomous University (UAB); Maria Diaz González and César Fernández Sánchez, from the IMB-CNM; Lourdes Migura-Garcia, from the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Alimentàries (IRTA); Sergi Montané and Sergi Rodríguez, from the UAB, and the student Carolina Liz Mascaró, at the UAB.

RES-KIT is based on a low-cost microfluidic platform (lab-on-a-film) which enables the analyses of non-treated milk samples at the farm or at the clinic, using complex laboratory protocols, which usually are slow and expensive.

The kit can unveil which are the bacteria that causes the mastitis as well as the resistance genes, allowing therefore a quick decision about the best antimicrobial treatment for each animal.

The device allows to transport and move solvents and functionalized microspheres in a cartridge with light pulses, which are generated by a very compact tool. The RES-KIT cartridge, contrary to other available systems, can be manufactured at low cost.

‘Generació d’Idees’ 2017 competition recognizes and gives support to the best technological proposals to solve the needs of the market.  

Scientists of the Nanoplastics project.The first prize has been awarded to Nanoplastics. This project is aimed at improving the safety of packed fresh food and extending its shelf life using a low-cost and biodegradable polymeric film with antibacterial activity. The polymer can be recycled, and is easy to integrate in the current packaging lines. Its use would allow to improve safety and reduce wasted food.

The waste of food is a worldwide environmental and economic problem. Last year, in Europe, 88 million tones of food were discarded uneaten (a 20% of the total).

Nanoplastics project is led by Achille Francone, scientists at the l’Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2), Natalia de la Oliva, at the Neurociències Institute of the Barcelona Autonomous University, and Ana Beatriz and Tarik Ruiz Medina, scientists at the Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica (CRAG).