Dr. Mitra and his team conceived a method of detecting E. coli in contaminated water within two to 60 minutes based on the level of contamination, a ground-breaking engineering feat in terms of rapid detection of deadly, water-borne pathogens. This field-deployable water quality monitor sensor, called the Mobile Water Kit, contains such components as filters, syringes and chemicals, and can detect the presence of E. coli through visual colour change on the filter surface, right at the location of the contamination site. Similarly, Dr. Mitra developed mechanisms for applying his research findings in microfluidics and micro/nanofabrication to help detect a specific biomolecule that helps in the early detection of several vector-borne diseases, like listeriosis and dengue. Such innovations offer the potential to solve many global public health problems, particularly in limited resources communities.
For the original press release, please go to the OSPE Website.