Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for rapidly monitoring a stress response of a cell to a stressor and determining the magnitude of the stress response; a method for rapidly detecting the presence or absence of a cell by monitoring a stress response of the cell if said cell is present, or the absence of the stress response if said cell is absent or dead; and a method for determining a predictive outcome for the susceptibility of a cell to a selected concentration of a bio-active agent or environmental factor and a level of stress of the cell at the selected concentration of the bio-active agent. Also disclosed are kits for carrying out the methodology according to an embodiment of the invention.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a system for collecting a sample and optionally detecting or analyzing an electrical property thereof, the method comprising: means for obtaining a sample in a sample container; means for directing the sample into a sensing chamber in fluid communication with the sample container, the sensing chamber comprising a plurality of sensing chamber electrodes positioned at the sensing chamber and configured to be in contact with the sample when the sample is directed into the sensing chamber; means for applying an electrical signal to the sample with a read-out analyzer via the plurality of sensing chamber electrodes; the plurality of sensing chamber electrodes in operable communication with the read-out analyzer; and means for detecting the effect of the sample on the electrical signal, thereby determining an electrical property of the sample.