Federal Grant Award Summary

The Regents of the University of California at Riverside received a $120,000 project grant from the Institute of Youth, Family, and Community under the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), awarded on May 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for April 30, 2028. The project addresses antibiotic resistance in food production by developing a rapid detection system capable of identifying antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains in livestock and food products without sacrificing the sensitivity of existing detection methods.

The primary deliverable is a novel diagnostic device utilizing silicon surfaces with nano-scale features that manipulate light wavelengths to detect bacterial resistance mechanisms in real time. The technology operates by exploiting the antibiotic attack pathway that common antibiotics such as penicillin employ against bacterial infections, then monitors bacterial cell responses to identify multiple resistance prevention techniques. Data collection and validation will be performed through wavelength color absorption monitoring on the silicon device, supplemented by fluorescent signal output tracking and solution component concentration analysis at key experimental checkpoints. This system aims to provide simplified operation while maintaining detection effectiveness, ultimately enabling food safety professionals to identify which antibiotics would be ineffective before treatment, thereby reducing improper antibiotic use and mitigating the public health risks associated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the food supply.