In a general aspect, microorganisms [e.g., bacteria, etc.) are identified and detected. In some examples, a liquid solvent is supplied through a first channel of a sampling probe to an internal reservoir of the sampling probe; a fixed volume of the liquid solvent in the internal reservoir is held in direct contact with a sample surface for a period of time to form a liquid analyte; gas is supplied to the internal reservoir through a second channel of the sampling probe; the liquid analyte is extracted from the internal reservoir through a third channel of the sampling probe; the liquid analyte is transferred to a mass spectrometer; the mass spectrometer processes the liquid analyte to produce mass spectrometry data; and the mass spectrometry data are analyzed to detect and identify a microorganism [e.g., acteria, fungi, or another type of microorganism) present at the sample surface.

The invention relates to methods and devices to identify an infection via light scatter from a tissue surface.

A device is provided. The device comprises a casing comprising an interior, a first opening, and a second opening; and a porous carrier comprising a sample-receiving zone and a target analyte-binding zone. The porous carrier defines a first fluid pathway that extends from the sample-receiving zone to the target analyte-binding zone. At least portion of the porous carrier is disposed in the interior of the casing. A second fluid pathway comprising a central axis extends through the casing from the first opening and the second opening, the second fluid pathway intersecting the porous carrier at the target analyte-binding zone. The central axis is oriented orthogonally with respect to the porous carrier. Methods of using the device to detect a target analyte are also provided.

A novel detection system and method is presented, where a two-bead receptor method is used for capturing pathogens, with one type of bead being magnetic and having a size of 3 microns or smaller, and the other type being polymeric and having a size of 3 microns or larger. The first type is used to concentrate a pathogen; the latter is used to create a detectable signal. Fast sensitive detection is achieved by collecting the optical signal created by the distortion of a homeotropically aligned chromonic azo dye in the presence of captured pathogens.

The present invention provides a method and probe for determining colibactin and a colibactin-producing bacterium. According to the present invention, there is provided a fluorescent probe for detecting myristoyl asparagine using, for example, a tissue sample and a fecal sample and detecting enzyme activity of ClbP.

A method for characterizing bacteria includes passing a liquid containing an analyte comprising a first bacteria and a second bacteria over and in contact with a polymer material on a substrate. The polymer material is formulated to bind to the first bacteria, and the first bacteria binds to the polymer material with a higher affinity than the second bacteria. A heat transfer property of the polymer material varies based on an amount of the analyte bound thereto. The method further includes binding a portion of the first bacteria and the second bacteria of the analyte to the polymer material, removing at least a portion of the second bacteria from the polymer material, detecting a temperature of the substrate, and calculating a concentration of the first bacteria in the liquid based at least in part on the temperature of the substrate.

Provided herein is a field-effect transistor based sensor for real-time detection of water contaminants and methods of use thereof.

Devices and methods for the detection of analytes are disclosed. Devices and methods for detecting food-borne pathogens are disclosed.

Provided are methods and devices for the detection of bacteriophages.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagellin protein recruits the mammalian host sialidase enzyme neuraminidase-1 (NEU1) to remove sialic acid residues from the extracellular domain of the mammalian cell-surface protein MUC1 (MUC1-ED), thereby exposing a cryptic binding site on the MUC1-ED protein backbone for flagellin binding. NEU1-driven MUC1-ED desialylation rapidly increases P. aeruginosa adhesion to the airway epithelium. MUC1-ED desialylation also increases MUC1-ED cleavage and shedding from the cell surface, where desialylated, shed MUC1-ED competitively blocks P. aeruginosa adhesion to cell-associated MUC1-ED. Presented herein are data showing that exogenously-administered, deglycosylated MUC1-ED peptides reduced adhesion of P. aeruginosa to airway epithelial cells. Also presented are data showing that administration of P. aeruginosa to mice in combination with deglycosylated MUC1-ED decreased P. aeruginosa recovered from the lungs at 48 hr and 72 hr post-infection. Such findings are extended to the methods of treatment and prevention of bacterial infections defined herein.