Innovative Biosensors — Technology to speed testing
I.J. Hudson, Tech Reporter — A test designed by MIT and being developed by Innovative Biosensors may help both the meat processing industry and medicine.The test works like this. Genetically engineered cells give off photons, or light particles, when exposed to specific bacteria, viruses or toxins. The unknown is added to test cells, and the two mixed. A Luminometer measures the light given off, and software provides a graphic representation.

The company's CEO, Joe Hernandez explains who will use this test. "Our goal is to really initially introduce the technology to the food testing environment, to the meat producers need a rapid test for pathogens like e-coli or salmonella.Innovative Biosensors is receiving help getting to market from The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute or MTECH. It provides lab space, and the Maryland Industrial Partnerships program, MIPS , provides money for research and development.The meat processing industry involves visual inspections and tests before meat can move from processing to the supermarket. The current tests take time.

Dr. Martha Connolly heads MIPS, and sees the value of a company like Innovative Biosensors. "The value proposition for this particular product, is that instead of holding, say beef for 48 hours before you release it with a test, this test will compress that time frame significantly."

From 48 hours to 5 minutes with the test from Innovative Biosensors.There is also work to package this test kit into a small device for doctors. "The hope is that you'll go into an emergency room and you have a physician having a pda-like device in their pocket that they can use to test any potential infections, pathogens that you may be encountered with, and do that in a very rapid and easy to use fashion," says Hernandez.That means a quick test when someone comes into the ER with symptoms of SARS. The portable medical test may be a year away.These partnerships at the University are good for all parties, according to MTEC's director, Dr. Herb Rabin. "It gets faculty involved. It gets students involved to do joint research with companies, to grow new technology based companies." And it keeps new ideas flowing into a University — ideas that eventually may help everyone.

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