The main innovation of qMAR is using pre-existing technology to develop a fast, cheap, accurate, and easy-to implement tool that is able to incorporate any number of resistance genes that are endemic in any hospital. Moreover, the link demonstrated between antibiotic consumption, high RLs, and extra-intestinal spread of MDROs shows how tracking the RLs over time can be a useful biomarker that allows healthcare personnel to react in real-time to minimize adverse effects on the patients. This innovative process was demonstrated in the flexibility of its application to various settings where we used its rationale in tracking an outbreak caused by Serratia marcescens in the hospital’s neonatal unit, and normalizing the Ct values obtained for the SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
qMAR’s tool can create a new market for diagnostic kits designed to track the RLs of resistance genes instead of simply detecting their presence or absence. Moreover, it can impact policy makers where they could use it to better assess infection control measures and patient outcome. To further the usefulness and the rapid implementation of qMAR’s tool, the process has been validated, extensively tested, and evaluated with healthcare professionals at HULP in order to make it as market-ready as possible. On a societal level, the tool developed in qMAR can be used to improve upon patient outcomes, and directly affect their own quality of life and that of their families.
qMAR has greatly impacted the researcher’s career where he was able to receive hands-on training in cutting-edge technologies, was awarded a 3-year contract after qMAR, was awarded a JPI-AMR Network 2020 grant as a principal investigator, and collaborated in two national research projects. Finally, the researcher impacted HULP through the various seminars and meetings performed, and the collaborations that he forged.
