This guest blog comes from Dr Kusum Rani, Post-doctoral researcher from CAMO-Net India, who travelled to London, UK on a CAMO-Net travel grant to work on molecular diagnostics at CAMO-Net UK’s Imperial College London site.
Between February 20 and March 25, 2026, I had the opportunity to undertake an off-site placement at the Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, UK, under the CAMO-Net Off-Site Placement Programme. Hosted within the laboratories of Professor Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano, the placement focused on gaining practical exposure to advanced molecular diagnostic platforms, biosensor technologies, and automated laboratory systems relevant to infectious disease diagnostics and antimicrobial resistance research.
Why biosensors and rapid diagnostics?
Rapid and accurate diagnostics are increasingly important for improving patient management and supporting antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Conventional diagnostic workflows are often time-consuming and dependent on centralized laboratory infrastructure, which can delay timely clinical decision-making.
Emerging biosensor and point-of-care diagnostic technologies offer the potential for faster, portable, and more accessible testing solutions. The placement aimed to explore how these technologies could support ongoing research activities at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, particularly in urinary tract infection (UTI) point-of-care testing, bloodstream infection diagnostics, and antimicrobial resistance detection.
Five weeks of hands-on learning
The placement was structured across multiple training components, combining theoretical understanding with practical laboratory experience.
SmartLid™ sample extraction technology
A major focus of the training involved hands-on experience with the SmartLid™ Blood Kit for DNA extraction workflows. The training covered sample preparation, extraction procedures, workflow optimization, and quality control measures relevant to bloodstream infection diagnostics.
This experience provided important insights into how rapid extraction technologies could potentially be validated for CRE/ESBL-positive blood culture samples within the Indian healthcare setting.
Dragonfly™ automated diagnostic platform
The placement also included practical training on the Dragonfly™ platform, designed for automated and semi-automated molecular diagnostic workflows. Training involved system operation, workflow execution, troubleshooting, and maintenance procedures.
Particular emphasis was placed on understanding the platform’s potential application in malaria diagnostics and other infectious disease workflows requiring rapid and reproducible molecular testing.
Biosensors and Lacewing technology
Another important component of the placement involved introductory training in biosensor technologies, particularly Lacewing technology and its potential applications in rapid diagnostics.
The exposure highlighted how biosensor platforms can integrate molecular detection, electrochemical sensing, and miniaturized systems to support future point-of-care diagnostic development. These insights directly contributed to ongoing work on biosensor-based POCT strategies for urinary tract infections at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
Strengthening collaboration and capacity building
Beyond technical training, the placement created opportunities for scientific exchange and collaborative discussions between Imperial College London and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. The programme emphasized the importance of international collaboration in strengthening diagnostic research capacity and facilitating technology transfer to resource-limited healthcare settings.
Discussions during the placement also explored future opportunities for collaborative validation studies, workflow optimization, and implementation research related to antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease diagnostics.
Looking ahead
The knowledge and technical skills gained during this placement will support future research activities involving:
- validation of rapid diagnostic technologies for CRE/ESBL bloodstream infections,
- development of biosensor-based POCT platforms for UTIs,
- and implementation of advanced molecular diagnostic workflows in the Indian setting.
The experience also reinforced the importance of adapting innovative technologies into clinically practical, scalable, and affordable solutions suitable for real-world healthcare environments.
Final reflections
This placement highlighted how rapidly diagnostic technologies are evolving and how interdisciplinary collaboration between microbiology, molecular diagnostics, biosensors, and engineering can drive innovation in infectious disease management.
The experience not only strengthened technical expertise but also reinforced the value of global scientific partnerships in addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving access to rapid diagnostics where they are most needed.
