Identifying Microorganisms effectively

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is now considered the industry standard for species-level microorganism identification.

Created to harness the power of this breakthrough technology, the Bruker MALDI Biotyper (MBT) has had a transformational impact on microbial identification in the lab, enabling rapid identification of over 4,600 species, including challenging filamentous fungi and mycobacteria. Its speed, accuracy, ease of use and cost-effectiveness have led thousands of customers worldwide to acknowledge the MBT as the best-in-class rapid microbiology method for microorganism identification.

Optimal performance secured

Tedious preparation of dedicated tuning samples and time-consuming manual tuning are things of the past. Without user intervention, the new zero-button IDealTune feature runs systematically in the background while analysing the IVD Bacterial Test Standard, as part of a standard sample run. IDealTune automatically fine-tunes the key parameters of the MALDI-TOF system, ensuring stable data quality.

A world-leading reference library

MALDI-TOF MS facilitates rapid and accurate microbial identification by determining the unique proteomic fingerprint of an organism. This fingerprint is assigned to a particular species through comparison with the extensive IVD-CEcertified Bruker reference library, which covers thousands of species and is continuously updated under strict quality control. The IVD-CE reference library does not only cover the most encountered clinical species but goes far beyond, to identify the unexpected. Microorganisms, after all, have no respect for international borders.

Meeting the mighty fungi identification challenge

The dedicated new MBT HT Filamentous Fungi IVD Module and the MyT (mycelium transfer) sample preparation method accelerate and simplify the identification of filamentous fungi. Dedicated reference spectra covering 222 species/species groups help identify this group of microorganisms much faster than traditional methods.

Taking tech to the next level

Today, the need for rapid and accurate antimicrobial resistance detection has risen in tandem with the growing number of multi-drug resistant organisms. To contribute to antimicrobial stewardship, Bruker’s MBT is recognised as a reliable, reproducible method for microorganism identification – and goes one step further: it can also provide rapid information on resistance, offering seamless detection of specific resistance markers or detection of beta-lactamase activity.

Fast is never fast enough for patient samples

The hands-on time per isolate requires around 20 seconds for nearly all of microorganisms, hence using only a minimum of precious time in a clinical lab. System improvements have led to an accelerated time-to-result – even faster than before. A 96-spot sample plate, containing 95 isolates and one control sample, requires an analysis time typically less than five minutes, with identification results popping up on the display simultaneously with spectra acquisition. This speed, combined with a very fast target exchange, allows analysis of up to 600 samples per hour, returning an identification report designed for easy interpretation, using a visual traffic light.

Why Bruker?

Bruker is committed to developing innovative instruments and end-to-end solutions that improve lab efficiency to advance patient care. Despite recent global supply chain challenges affecting the whole sector, Bruker continues to offer rapid product delivery and support to maximise system uptime, keeping lab instruments and software running for the clinicians and patients who place their trust in them.