An alliance of two private companies and Nottingham Trent University has received funding to develop a hand-held detector for hospital superbugs.

An alliance of two private companies and Nottingham Trent University has received funding to develop a hand-held detector for hospital superbugs.

Universal Sensors and Cambridge Design Partnership secured the investment from the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), which typically backs early-stage technologies with proof-of-concept funding of up to £100,000, potentially followed by a further cash injection of up to £1 million.

The alliance aims to create a device that can detect the presence of so-called superbugs C.difficile and MRSA within five minutes, as opposed to the two or three days required for traditional tests performed in a dedicated laboratory. Production is expected to commence by 2010.

While Universal Sensors focuses on biosensor technology, Cambridge Design Partnership specialises in computerised hand-held devices. Nottingham Trent University will provide expertise in testing for health care associated infections.