Development of a Mass-Producible Microfluidic Device for Single and Bulk Mycobacteria Investigations

We developed a mass-producible microfluidic device capable of long-term observations of single bacilli and bulk bacteria culture interactions for subsequent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) studies. The device provides high consistency across separate devices due to its standardized manufacturing process unlike conventional microfluidic devices. <i>Mycobacteria bovis</i> BCG and <i>M. smegmatis</i> are trapped within the microfluidic device using minimal equipment and capillary-based techniques, acting as a surrogate model for the highly pathogenic bacteria <i>M. tuberculosis</i>. Individual bacilli and bulk bacteria aggregates were observed across a span of ten growth cycles, revealing bacteria growth morphologies alike those in past research. We accordingly propose that this chip would be appropriate for observations of AMR trials involving <i>M. tuberculosis</i>.