New technology developed at the University of the Witwatersrand is being expanded to tackle a broader range of diseases after its proven success in ensuring quality diagnostic results for TB and Covid-19, said scientists.
News24 reports that the creativity of SmartSpot, technology developed by Professor Bavesh Kana, lies in its ability to make diagnostics more reliable, cost-effective and accessible even in under-resourced areas.
The expansion is driven by the increasing demand for accurate, affordable testing in global health efforts, with researchers now exploring its application in HIV, hepatitis C, leukaemia and other emerging diseases, he said.
The technology’s core is “biomimicry”, a process allowing researchers to mimic harmful pathogens like TB bacteria or coronavirus using genetically modified but harmless bacteria.
“Biomimicry essentially mimics nature,” said Kana, “and we thought: can we use it to kill bacteria in a way that preserves its structure so diagnostic devices still recognise it?”
SmartSpot’s roots date back to 2011, when it was developed at Wits in response to the need for independent verification of new molecular diagnostic tests for TB.
At that time, added Kana, validating diagnostic devices depended on live TB bacteria, which were expensive and dangerous to work with. This limited the accessibility of accurate diagnostics in countries that needed it most.
He and his team adopted a unique approach, creating a cost-effective and scalable alternative using harmless, easily cultivated bacteria that grow in standard lab conditions.
“We realised that diagnostic devices don’t care if the bacteria are alive or dead, so we developed a way to safely mimic the DNA signatures of harmful pathogens. We went to the sand and found safe bacteria very similar to the TB bacteria. And using careful genetic engineering, we transferred that small piece of DNA that gets detected by the diagnostic device.”
The results were transformative, and SmartSpot has since been deployed in more than 50 countries for TB diagnostics.
During the pandemic, its role expanded to ensure quality control for Covid-19 tests across 30 countries.
Millions of patients have benefitted from the innovation, with labs finally delivering reliable results without delays or excessive costs.
Why the expansion?
Its proven track record has inspired researchers to expand its scope to cover other high-burden diseases.
With HIV testing and emerging infectious diseases on the radar, the technology can further assist global health systems by enhancing diagnostic capabilities worldwide.
The expansion is also driven by its affordability.
“TB bacteria take about a month to grow. When using real TB bacteria, the process became expensive and time-consuming, requiring advanced safety equipment like suits and containment labs,” said Kana.
The biomimicry-based solution reduced production costs by more than 100 times by designing systems that use non-harmful bacteria, which can grow in standard lab settings.
“When you use safe bacteria that grow in the sand and don’t cause disease, it brings costs down massively.”
Collaboration has been pivotal to SmartSpot’s success, with partnerships involving the National Health Laboratory Service and the Department of Health, and escalating the expansion of capabilities, from tackling TB to addressing challenges like the pandemic and drug-resistant diseases.
“The problem with our health systems is that sick people move around unnoticed. When you find them, you win a significant part of the battle. With SmartSpot, we aim to close the gap between health systems and the communities they serve.”
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