Culture
Urine culture with susceptibility testing is the laboratory reference. Its reporting time varies by setting.
[1] Reporting intervals to be documented from verified sources
Concept / early design
Developing earlier information for suspected UTI assessment.
ViriSense is developing a DNA-aptamer and graphene-based sensing concept using a single-use urine cartridge and reusable reader. We are investigating whether bacterial-target measurements can provide useful earlier information in suspected UTI assessment.
- Triage target (goal) | AST target (goal)
- 30–60 min | 1–5 h
- Sample
- Urineprep. under evaluation
- Cost
- In progress
Fig. 1: Illustrative simulation Not real data
t27:00
S0.58
DataIllustrative only
01 The problem
The gap between initial assessment and reference laboratory results.
In suspected UTI care, culture takes 48–72 hours, and AST takes another 24–48 hours. With 61% of Gram-negative ICU infections now carbapenem-resistant (ICMR 2025), this 3–5 day gap forces doctors to prescribe empirically, directly fueling a deadly AMR crisis.
Our initial research focuses on whether a reliable bacterial-target readout could add useful information alongside clinical assessment and existing laboratory testing.
Today Laboratory reference pathway
Initial assessment
Laboratory processing
Reference result reported
Rx
RxInitial decisions may be made before final laboratory results are available.
ViriSense Proposed readout
Target: 30–60 min (goal)
Development goal. Whether an earlier readout is useful in this workflow remains to be tested.
Earlier?
Whether a bacterial-target readout can add useful earlier information is the question ViriSense is investigating.
[2] Research question, not a result
Not yet
Market size: not yet estimated. Open question: how many suspected-UTI tests does one site run?
[3] Discovery in progress
02 Approach
One cartridge. A focused sensing concept.
Cartridge handling, sample preparation and result interpretation remain under development.
- 01
Load
Introduce urine into a single-use cartridge.
- 02
Measure
Explore DNA-aptamer recognition of a selected bacterial target using a graphene-FET readout and control/reference measurements.
- 03
Review
Display an analytical signal for research evaluation.
What it is
- An early-stage urine-sensing research concept
- A proposed cartridge-and-reader system
- An investigation of earlier information for suspected UTI assessment
What it isn’t
- A validated standalone UTI diagnosis
- A currently validated AST test (AST is our Phase 2 development target, not yet built)
- A system available for clinical use
Potential settings to investigate
Clinic-linked care
Where suspected UTI is often first assessed.
Diagnostic laboratories
Where urine samples are processed and reference results are reported.
Hospital outpatient settings
Where initial assessment and laboratory testing run side by side.
03 Technology
Graphene sensors are sensitive. Urine makes that a challenge.
DNA aptamers are being considered as recognition elements for a selected bacterial target. A graphene field-effect transistor would measure an associated electrical response. The target, interface and performance in urine require experimental evaluation.
Debye screening
High ionic strength shortens the sensing distance at the surface and may hide binding events. To be investigated.
Biofouling
Non-specific adsorption from the urine matrix may produce responses unrelated to the target. To be investigated.
Sample-to-sample drift
Urine composition varies between samples and may shift the baseline. To be investigated.
Sensing channel alone
- Data
- Simulated
- Status
- Not validated
In this illustration, background effects from the urine matrix dominate the raw sensing channel. Whether this happens in practice, and by how much, is untested.
Minus reference
- Data
- Simulated
- Status
- Not validated
Subtracting a reference measurement is one candidate way to compensate for drift. Its effectiveness must be tested experimentally.
Minus reference and control
- Data
- Simulated
- Status
- Not validated
Differential measurements are a candidate compensation strategy. Their effectiveness must be tested experimentally.
CH-A Proposed
Target-sensing concept
Proposed target-recognition surface.
CH-B Proposed
Background / control concept
Proposed control surface for assessing non-target responses. Host-response sensing is a possible future research direction, not a confirmed first-version capability.
CH-C To be established
Reference concept
Additional reference measurement; its role and implementation remain to be established.
Device stack
Proposed materials and structure, not final manufacturing decisions.
- Cartridge Single-use microfluidic cartridge (proposed)
- Gate Solution gate with reference electrode (proposed)
- Channel Graphene FET channels A · B · C (proposed)
- Substrate Passivated substrate (proposed)
04 Progress
Where we are, plainly.
ViriSense is at concept / early-design stage. This is what has been completed and what comes next.
- Completed
Nirmaan Pratham
Selected for Nirmaan Pratham pre-incubation, IIT Madras, 2026.
- Completed
Workflow visits
Exploratory diagnostic-workflow visits in Nagpur and Bramhapuri.
- Current focus
Target & sensing architecture
Defining the target, sensing architecture and first experimental plan.
- Next
Bench feasibility
Secure suitable laboratory access and evaluate controlled bench feasibility.
- Later
Phase 2 (AST)
Develop parallel microfluidic chambers for antibiotic testing. Evaluate metabolic electrical signatures to determine susceptibility within 1–5 hours.
05 Team
Team
Working where molecular biology, graphene electronics and primary care meet.
Vaishnav Kawale
Founder
- Background
- B.Sc. Chemistry, Botany & Zoology · NPTEL certified in Biomolecules
- Focus
- Coordinating early assay, sensing and product-development planning.
Looking for collaborators in
- Graphene / 2D-materials device expertise
- Microbiology and assay-development expertise
- Embedded and analog readout expertise
06 Contact
Help shape our first feasibility study.
We welcome discussions with clinicians, microbiologists, biosensor researchers and prototyping collaborators to define our initial experiments and future evaluation pathway.