Cornell Engineers Secure $250,000 Grant for TB Diagnostic Device

A team from Cornell University has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Gates Foundation to develop an innovative device aimed at improving tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics. The project, led by the Center for Point of Care Technologies for Nutrition, Infection and Cancer (PORTENT), focuses on creating the MAGNILyser, a low-cost, battery-operated device designed for sample preparation in areas lacking laboratory infrastructure.

The MAGNILyser will enable healthcare providers to prepare patient samples for TB testing more efficiently. It works by heating the bacteria, making them safe to handle, and subsequently breaking them open to release DNA, which is essential for accurate molecular detection. Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases globally, causing millions of infections and deaths each year.

David Erickson, director of PORTENT and S.C. Thomas Sze Director of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell, is leading the initiative. The project also involves collaboration with Saurabh Mehta, Janet and Gordon Lankton Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, and Dr. Aggrey S. Semeere, head of Prevention, Care and Treatment at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) in Kampala, Uganda.

Erickson noted that the MAGNILyser concept originated from graduate student Jason Manning in the Erickson Lab. The device aims to simplify the sample preparation process, which is currently reliant on large, energy-intensive equipment and skilled personnel. By miniaturizing and automating sample preparation, the team seeks to broaden access to accurate TB testing in rural and underserved areas.

“The MAGNILyser enables on-site patient sample processing for decentralized testing in the rural and resource-limited settings where improved TB testing is needed most,” said Erickson. He emphasized that the device offers a low-cost, automated workflow to prepare PCR-ready specimens for quicker diagnoses.

Over the next two years, the team will develop functional prototypes of the MAGNILyser at Cornell University and validate their performance through laboratory tests focusing on inactivation efficiency, DNA yield, and reproducibility. Following this, field usability and reliability testing will take place in collaboration with the IDI in Uganda to assess how the device performs in real-world conditions.

The project will benefit from PORTENT’s global network, which connects scientists, engineers, and clinicians across Uganda, India, Ecuador, and the United States. This collaboration will leverage the center’s Lab-to-Market Accelerator for guidance on regulatory strategies and business planning to transition the MAGNILyser from a laboratory prototype to a deployable diagnostic tool.

Erickson emphasized the project’s commitment to global health innovation, stating, “The MAGNILyser project reflects PORTENT’s dedication to advancing lab technology into practical tools that have a real-world impact, particularly in low-resource and point-of-care settings.” The goal is to minimize both device and per-sample costs, thereby providing access to diagnostics for rural and low-income communities often overlooked in healthcare initiatives.

By integrating technology development with clinical validation, training, and lab-to-market programs, PORTENT aims to accelerate the early detection of various health conditions, including diabetes and emerging infections. This initiative seeks to improve healthcare outcomes, enhance patient well-being, and ultimately reduce healthcare costs.