Portable 16S rRNA sequencing for antimicrobial stewardship

Anna Smielewska completed her medical training and PhD at the University of Cambridge and joined the Virology team at the Royal Liverpool Hospital as a consultant in 2021. She has been the Clinical Director and R&D lead for Infection and Immunity since 2022. Anna’s clinical and research interests are infections in the immunosuppressed and paediatrics. She works at both Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital and Alder Hey Paediatric Hospital and holds an Honorary Senior Lecturer post with the University of Liverpool.

Abstract

Rapid identification of microbiological organisms is especially important in today’s healthcare setting as we face increased antimicrobial resistance. Diagnostically there is a clear need for a rapid, accurate and flexible bacterial identification assay that could be run in a routine diagnostic laboratory, while remaining cost effective and lean.