UC San Diego

Technological platforms that enable rapid biomarker detection, disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring can significantly improve outcomes for patients. This is especially true in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neonatal (newborn) sepsis, for which timely and accurate recognition is important, and clinical signs alone are not sufficient for optimal management. This dissertation explores the clinical utility of TBI biomarkers using a novel electrokinetic microarray platform, as well as the application of dielectrophoresis for the isolation of bacteria from whole blood. In addition, this doctoral research work explores the application of machine learning algorithms for microbial pathogen identification, and for thedetection of emerging infections, using a novel digital high resolution melt platform.