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Scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) have developed a new microarray-based diagnostic platform that can help close vaccination gaps and quickly detect antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The innovation, created at the InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, aims to accelerate two critical areas of public health: monitoring immunity after vaccination and identifying drug-resistant pathogens more efficiently. In a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers show that their new chip identifies optimal antibody pairs for resistance diagnostics in just days instead of weeks.
“Our platform shortens the search for suitable antibodies from several weeks to only a few days,” said Sascha D. Braun, first author of the study. “That means new diagnostic tests can be developed much faster — a key advantage when dealing with antibiotic-resistant infections that are becoming harder and harder to treat.”
Tackling Resistance to Last-Resort Antibiotics
The study focuses on antibodies that target bacterial enzymes responsible for disabling major antibiotic classes. Among them are carbapenemases, which make nearly all beta-lactam antibiotics ineffective, and MCR-1, which enables Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli to resist colistin, one of the few remaining antibiotics available when others fail.
Unlike conventional ELISA tests, the Jena team’s microarray tests all antibodies simultaneously in both “capture” and “detection” modes. This parallel approach saves time and eliminates numerous manual steps. Out of 49 antibodies tested, about 20 percent produced strong, reproducible signals — suitable for use in rapid tests such as lateral flow assays. The researchers’ goal: to enable reliable test results within minutes, combining high specificity with high sensitivity.
From Measles to COVID-19: Making Immune Protection Visible
The platform’s roots trace back to 2022, when researchers demonstrated that the same microarray could detect antibodies against vaccine antigens for diseases such as measles, tetanus, and COVID-19. By visualizing the humoral immune response — antibody formation in the blood — the chip can show whether someone has sufficient protection after vaccination.
Just a drop of blood is enough. Pathogen antigens fixed on the microchip act as molecular “traps.” When antibodies bind to these targets, the test indicates whether protective immunity exists.
The need for such tools is growing: according to WHO and UNICEF, more than 127,000 measles cases were reported across the WHO European Region in 2024 — double the number from the previous year. Vaccination rates have declined in many countries since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new platform could help identify immunity gaps quickly and precisely — for example, during school entry exams, vaccination consultations, or health screenings for migrants with uncertain vaccination records. “We wanted a flexible testing platform that can respond rapidly to new health threats — whether it’s a novel pathogen, a vaccination gap, or a resistant infection,” said Prof. Ralf Ehricht, project leader at Leibniz-IPHT and the University of Jena.
A Modular Tool for Research, Diagnostics, and Industry
Both studies are part of RESISTOVAC, a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The goal is to develop an open, modular multi-parameter platform that can quickly determine both vaccination status and bacterial resistance profiles.
Project partners include INTER-ARRAY by fzmb GmbH, Senova GmbH, and -4H-JENA engineering GmbH. INTER-ARRAY by fzmb contributed antibody development and microarray manufacturing, while Senova and -4H-JENA engineering brought expertise in lateral flow assays and system integration. Leibniz-IPHT led assay development, from selecting target molecules and establishing detection methods to validating results under practical conditions.
Because of its modular architecture, the platform can be expanded at any time with new antibodies or target structures — an important advantage as infectious and resistant diseases continue to rise worldwide. The technology will also be used at the upcoming Leibniz Center for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI) in Jena. There, scientists and industry partners will work hand in hand to translate rapid diagnostic innovations from the lab into real-world medical use — in hospitals, primary care settings, or mobile testing units.
https://www.leibniz-ipht.de/en/departments/optical-molecular-diagnostics-and-sys...
Prof. Dr. Ralf Ehricht
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1650094
Braun, S. D., Reinicke, M., Diezel, C., Müller, E., Frankenfeld, K., Schumacher, T., et al. (2025). High-throughput screening of monoclonal antibodies against carbapenemases using a multiplex protein microarray platform. Frontiers in Microbiology, 16, 1650094.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10823-7
Burgold-Voigt, S., Müller, E., Zopf, D., Monecke, S., Braun, S. D., et al. (2022). Development of a new antigen-based microarray platform for screening and detection of human IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 8067.
Elke Müller, a scientist at Leibniz IPHT in Jena, Germany, takes bacteria from an agar plate.
Quelle: Sven Döring
Copyright: Leibniz IPHT
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Elke Müller, a scientist at Leibniz IPHT in Jena, Germany, takes bacteria from an agar plate.
Quelle: Sven Döring
Copyright: Leibniz IPHT
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