Ahmed Abd El Wahed from Leipzig University in Germany talked at London Calling 2023 about “Pathogen and species identification using a mobile suitcase laboratory.” I have been thinking about this for a while and just today received an email from Bento Lab. El Wahed recorded the talk outside and next to the mobile suitcase lab. Their team has used the suitcase for microbiome analysis and outbreak responses. They have used the mobile lab in Germany and Africa. Rea Kobialka spoke about identifying antimicrobial resistance in poultry livestock. They took the suitcase into the stable to assess antibiotic resistance without the need for culturing. Arianna Ceruti described the use of magnetic beads for nucleic acid extractions. The suitcase has holders for gloves and the magnet. Protease and enzymes are used for the rapid extraction. Ceruti explained that this method has been used for mosquito samples. The DNA is purified enough for directly sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) devices. Kobialka described the use of the Rapid Barcoding kit from Nanopore for sequencing several samples. The data analysis can be done in the field using software that can function offline. Ceruti shared ths software that they use on the laptop… which looked like Geneious or CLC Genomics. Next, Kamal Eltom from the University of Khartoum in Sudan shared how they use the suitcases and ONT devices. Sanaa Idris from the University of Khartoum spoke about the use of the Mk1C use for whole genome sequencing of Mycobacterium avium from sheep, camels, and goats! Wisal Elmagzoub from the same institution used ONT devices for exploring the fecal microbiome from human samples for their Ph.D. The Khartoum group spoke about using EPI2ME for cloud-based analyses and being able to take the devices to different sites thanks to the mobile lab setup. The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh had a segment of the recording in which they use ONT for field-deployable rapid sequencing of unknown pathogens. The researchers at the Centre use the suitcase lab and ONT devices for diagnostics. This London Calling session was unique because it was a compilation of several clips from different researchers and universities. The suitcase itself looks like a sturdy plastic trunk with holders for cables, gloves, ONT device, vortex, temperature block, magnet, and reagents. A mini generator or power source could be seen in one part of the video. I wonder if we could create our own suitcase… with wheels.
