title: Revolutionizing the practice of medicine through rapid (< 1h) DNA-based diagnostics.
abstract: Twenty years ago, I dreamed of using DNA detection for speeding the microbiological identification of microorganisms from two days to less than one hour. This dream is slowly becoming a reality as we were the first to develop and put on the market real-time PCR assays, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada, for the detection of several pathogens including Group B streptococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and Clostridium difficile. Since 2000, my team and I have been interested to bring this laboratory revolution to the bedside, by developing a microfluidic centripetal device, a compact disc-like platform that, instead of reading music, reads DNA. This futuristic approach to the management of infectious diseases at point-of-care will undoubtedly necessitate a 'change in culture without culture'.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbilogy and Centre de recherche en Infectiologie of Université Laval, Université Laval and Centre de recherche duCHUL (CHUQ), 2705 Laurier blvd., Québec City, Québec, Canada. Michel.G.Bergeron@crchul.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Michel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial