European researchers have unveiled new biosensor technology that could help doctors to diagnose diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis in just 15 minutes.
At present, blood and urine are tested for disease markers using the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay) method, which has been in use since the 1970s. Although very useful, ELISA is expensive, requires highly trained staff, and the entire process takes approximately two hours. However, the new biosensor technology is capable of providing results in less than 15 minutes, and will be simple to use.
The researchers aim to put the technology into a small hand-held device – similar to the size of a cell phone – into which the user can insert different biosensor chips depending on the disease they are testing for. Tests have shown that the biosensors can detect a wide range of diseases, including biomarkers present in prostate and ovarian cancer, stroke, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and fungal infections.
The technology is the result of a €2.7 million project called ELISHA, co-ordinated by Dr Paul Millner from the University of Leeds in England. “We’ve designed simple instrumentation to make the biosensors easy to use and understand,” says Dr Millner in a news release issued by the University of Leeds. “They’ll work in a format similar to the glucose biosensor testing kits that diabetics currently use.”
News release: Disease diagnosis in just 15 minutes. University of Leeds Website. October 1st 2008.
