Scientists at the University of Exeter have developed a device that can diagnose various diseases, including Alzheimer’s, by analyzing small amounts of blood. The device was presented at the British Science Festival in Exeter. daily mail.
The device requires only 10 microliters of blood to work; This is 3,000 times less than the 30ml of blood required for routine hospital testing. The blood sample passes through a special matrix illuminated from below. Gold nanoparticles scatter this light and the pattern changes depending on the biomarkers present in the blood. In this way, the amount of a particular molecule in the blood can be determined.
The test can be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease by measuring levels of the tau protein that accumulates in patients’ brains. It is known that measuring tau levels can help predict the onset and progression of the disease but currently requires expensive brain scans or invasive spine exams. According to the authors of the development, there are nine different proteins, seven of which are associated with tau and can indicate whether a person has the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Testing is currently being conducted on a desktop device, but the team is in the process of developing a portable device that can be used at home. The test takes seven minutes and can analyze up to 20 biomarkers. An analysis will cost 10-15 pounds (about 1900 rubles).
The system can already detect whether someone has long Covid by testing a single drop of blood. The team expects a similar test for childhood allergies to be ready in 2024, and by 2025 it could use the device to screen for menopause, fertility and healthy aging. Other potential uses include testing for sepsis, liver health, and diabetes.
Previous scientists created The first sensor to monitor donor organ rejection.