Invention helps to set proper doses of antibiotics

Chinese scientists have developed a prototype instrument to quickly determine the level of antibiotic resistance in cells infecting a patient, thereby allowing more precise administration of the drugs.

The device was unveiled recently by the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which said it was the first of its kind in the world.

It can determine the level of resistance in sample cells within three hours without the need to grow more cells in a lab. Existing methods typically take 24 to 48 hours, said Ma Bo, a research fellow at the institute.