University collaboration from the most recent 10Q...
In October 2013, the Company announced that it is collaborating with the Northern Michigan University (NMU) Department of Biology to identify and differentiate Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) and the “superbug,” Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA ). The goal of this strategic research with NMU is to rapidly and cost-effectively identify these two particular healthcare threats using the MIT 1000 System. Staph infections can range from mild skin problems to potentially fatal conditions if the bacteria invade deeper into the body. Most can be easily treated. Some Staphs, however, are drug-resistant. The faster the responsible disease causing bacteria is identified, the faster the appropriate treatment can begin. This is the driving goal behind the NMU/MIT collaboration using the MIT 1000 to differentiate between the common S. aureus and MRSA. At this stage, the collaboration involves scientists from MIT and NMU gathering preliminary data and developing collaborative research proposals seeking funding in support of continued research.
Also in October 2013, the Company announced a strategic research collaboration with Purdue University to prove the concept of faster, cheaper, and easier pathogen testing for Listeria and Listeria monocytogenes in foods using laser light scattering. The partnership pairs similar laser light scattering technologies developed independently by each contributor to demonstrate the speed and accuracy of using nonbiological methods to provide a simple, rapid, and cost-effective solution to food pathogen testing.
