Abstract
This UCF invention is a versatile, high throughput platform designed to evaluate pathogen resistance, cellular behaviors, and chemical interactions with unprecedented control. The system uses precision cut stencil masks that structure each test into a central biological zone surrounded by chemically variable regions, enabling reliable gradient assays on standard Petri dishes. The Stencil Disk Diffusion Test (SDDT) works across multiple biological systems (microbes, mammalian cells, organoids, fungi, viruses, and even small aquatic organisms) and integrates seamlessly with robotic tools and imaging systems. Providing more consistent diffusion patterns and greater test density per plate, SDDT accelerates diagnostics, drug development, and systems biology research across clinical, agricultural, and biotech sectors.
Technical Details: The SDDT platform improves upon traditional disk diffusion assays by using a laser cut or precision fabricated stencil mask that defines localized growth zones and designated regions for chemical diffusion. By structurally restricting organism growth, SDDT increases reproducibility in inhibition zone measurements and MIG/MIC analyses. The design accommodates radial, linear, microfluidic, or multizone patterns for customizable experiments.
The stencil allows significantly more tests per agar plate than conventional methods, reducing consumables and increasing throughput for antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, and chemical screening. The system supports real time imaging, long term cell culture, gradient profiling, metabolite exchange models, co culture experiments, and integration with automated platforms or AI driven resistance analytics. Prototypes have been validated across multiple organisms, outperforming the Kirby Bauer method in consistency and scalability.
Benefit
Achieves higher accuracy and reproducibility by enforcing consistent diffusion and growth boundaries.Reduces waste and cost by dramatically increasing the number of tests per plate.Versatile, supporting bacteria, fungi, viruses, mammalian and plant cells, organoids, tissues, and small organisms.Fully compatible with microfluidics, robotics, microscopy, and AI-based AMR tracking for next-generation diagnostics.Market Application
Clinical diagnostics for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing and infectious disease workflows.Pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D, including drug screening, cancer cell studies, organoid assays, and bioprinting validation.Agriculture and veterinary health, enabling high throughput screening for plant microbe interactions, livestock pathogens, and soil contaminant effects.Food safety and quality control, monitoring microbial threats and chemical contamination for regulated industries.
