Future Applications and Impact Potential of Targeted Enrichment for Disease and AMR Detection

Clinical metagenomics has paved the way for un-biased, culture-free detection and identification of a broad number of pathogens and genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance. Drawing from advantages of this approach, target enrichment with next-generation sequencing (NGS) works by capturing genomic regions of a broad range of pathogens of interest which are isolated and then sequenced, resulting in actionable insights oftentimes not offered by PCR or conventional testing modalities. The current pandemic and flu season shines a spotlight on the need for robust detection enabled by targeted enrichment. A look into the future reveals an opportunity to apply the same powerful innovation to chronic infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) and wound infections that continue to impact everyday life. By leveraging the 24-48 hour workflow, earlier and more comprehensive detection with predicted antimicrobial resistance can support strategies to optimize patient management and treatment while reducing the time and costs associated with multi-technology, serial testing.

"Future Applications and Impact Potential of Targeted Enrichment for Disease and AMR Detection"

Speakers:

Dr. Phil Febbo
Chief Medical Officer, Illumina

Dr. Robert Schlaberg
Chief Medical Officer, IDbyDNA