Blood-borne infections rapidly injure and kill people whose immune systems are compromised by cancer that requires chemotherapy or serious infections such as AIDS. Our best traditional lab techniques usually take several days to give an accurate microbial identification that allows specific antimicrobial therapy to be instituted. T2 Biosystems is far along in applying magnetic resonance (MR) technology to allow prompt detection of such blood-borne pathogens in whole-blood samples, potentially shortening the identification period to a few hours. This will likely substantially reduce the high mortality rates in such severe infections.

Orchard Health Care member John McDonough is the CEO of T2 Biosystems. I found his description of his company’s work to be fascinating. The molecular technology they are developing is an exciting example of how biomedical science is rapidly and dramatically improving our lives. I asked John to provide a short write-up of his company for our membership. OHC has many members involved with cutting-edge science, technology and business, as well as with the literary arts. I hope to have other OHC members describe their work or their company’s work in the coming months.

Technology: you can’t live without it, but it can drive you crazy and sop up your time. What do you make of a “technology minute?”