Biography

My name is Leila White and I am a HSST Clinical Scientist working at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I am carrying out a Doctorate of Clinical Sciences (DClinSci) and for this have collaborated with St Andrews University to complete my research project.

I am using a bespoke 16 well Scattered Light Integrating Collector (SLIC) instrument to gain same day antibiotic sensitivity results for Gram negative bacteria directly from blood culture specimens. These organisms can cause sepsis and timely antibiotic information guides patient management.  Fourteen different antibiotics are tested against one blood specimen and combined with a rapid identification method in order to provide a full identification and sensitivity report for the organism in the blood. The result is being compared with the current workflow in the laboratory which provides preliminary antibiotic results after 24 hours and a final report after 48-72 hours. Using SLIC technology (combined with the identification method) I am trying to gain an accurate final identification and susceptibility report on the same day the blood culture is processed and investigate the theoretical clinical impact this would have on our patients.