IBN's MicroKit Wins Silver Award at the Asian Innovation Awards 2011

The IBN MicroKit Team: James Tseng-Ming Hsieh, Prof. Jackie Y. Ying and Guolin Xu (from left to right).

The Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), is pleased to announce that its disease diagnostics technology, the MicroKit, has won the Silver Award at the Asian Innovation Awards 2011 organized by The Wall Street Journal Asia. The result was announced yesterday evening at the awards ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, which was officiated by Sir John Major, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Asian Innovation Awards recognize innovations that break with conventional processes in creative ways.

Developed in Singapore by IBN Executive Director, Professor Jackie Y. Ying and her team members, Guolin Xu and James Tseng-Ming Hsieh, the MicroKit is an automated diagnostic device that can detect viruses rapidly and accurately within two hours. Current efforts to contain infectious diseases are often hampered by the time it takes to diagnose and isolate those carrying the virus. Conventional diagnostic tests can take up to half a day and can only be conducted in dedicated biosafety laboratories by clinical personnel, who might risk accidental exposure to the virus.

Designed to enable diagnosis outside the laboratory, the MicroKit is portable and easy to use for non-clinical personnel. The MicroKit simplifies disease detection by integrating the sample preparation, amplification and detection processes in a disposable polymer cartridge. As everything takes place within the completely sealed cartridge, the risk of potential virus exposure is minimized. This portable device can be used at airports, borders, checkpoints and clinics to help contain the rapid spread of infectious diseases and prevent pandemics.

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Nanomedicine Breakthrough by IBN and IBM Named Top 10 World Changing Ideas by Scientific American

A nanoparticle that can destroy drug-resistant bacteria developed by the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), and the IBM Almaden Research Center, has recently been named one of 10 world changing ideas by Scientific American in its Technology Special Report ('World Changing Ideas – 10 New Technologies That Will Make a Difference', December 2011).

Published in Nature Chemistry, this nanomedicine breakthrough works against drug-resistant and infectious diseases such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. The nanoparticles are physically drawn towards the harmful bacteria in the body like a magnet, and can prevent drug resistance by tearing down the bacterial cell wall and membrane. This mode of attack is fundamentally different from antibiotics and could be a new weapon against superbugs. The nanoparticles can be infused into consumer products such as gels, sprays and lotions or formulated to treat MRSA-induced blood stream and skin infections.

The Research Team (from left to right): Dr Chuan Yang, IBN Research Scientist, Dr Shujun Gao, IBN Research Officer, Dr Yiyan Yang, IBN Group Leader, Dr James L. Hedrick (IBM Almaden Research Center), and Dr Jeremy Tan, IBN Research Scientist.

Professor Jackie Y. Ying, IBN Executive Director, said, "We are delighted that Scientific American recognizes our nanoparticle discovery as a world changing idea. IBN strives to make a difference with our technologies by offering an alternative treatment solution to common diseases and illnesses. This is an excellent affirmation of our nanotechnology research against drug-resistant bacteria and we will now be focusing on developing these nanoparticles for clinical and consumer applications "

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IBN Achieves ISO Certification

IBN has been awarded a Certificate of Registration to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2008 by the Governing Board of Certification International (UK) Limited.

This international accreditation recognizes that IBN operates a quality management system, which has been assessed to conform to ISO 9001:2008 guidelines, for the provision of administrative support services for the various research functions of the institute. The scope of activities covered under this award includes Administration, Finance, IT, Procurement, Corporate Communications, Human Resource, Business Development, Youth Research Program, and Facilities and Safety.

IBN Director Noreena AbuBakar, who heads the Institute's Corporate Services, shared, “The comprehensive audit exercise we underwent for the ISO certification provided us with a valuable opportunity to review and further streamline our systems and processes. Our goal is to provide quality services to IBN and our research staff. We look forward to receiving regular feedback so that we may continually improve our performance.”

Adds IBN Executive Director Professor Jackie Y. Ying, “The speed and ease with which the accreditation was acquired is a testament to the dedication and efficiency of our Corporate Services and Facilities/Safety teams towards making IBN a world-class research organization. I would like to thank them for their continued commitment towards providing superb support to our Institute's various administrative and research functions.”

The ISO 9001:2008 provides an internationally recognized framework for adopting a systematic approach to managing an organization's processes so that it consistently satisfies and enhances customer expectations. It is a reflection of an organization's customer-centric focus. According to the International Organization for Standardization, the ISO 9001:2008 is implemented by over a million organizations in 176 countries.