Nanosensors detect cancer from whole blood
Nature Nanotechnology
December 14, 2009
Nanosensors that can detect early signs of disease from unprocessed whole blood are reported in a paper published online this week in Nature Nanotechnology. The sensors can be adapted for use with other physiological fluids, and are expected to be simple, quick and inexpensive enough to be used in the clinic, therefore avoiding the need for analysis by external labs.
Previous disease-marker detection work exposed nanosensors to carefully controlled purified solutions, rather than real physiological samples. The sensors developed by Mark Reed and colleagues combine separate purification and detection stages, allowing them to detect tiny amounts of cancer biomarkers in a small volume of whole blood in just 20 minutes.
doi: 10.1038/nnano.2009.353
Research highlights
-
Jul 4
Particle physics: A decade of Higgs boson researchNature
-
Jul 1
Space health: The path of most resistance could help limit bone loss during spaceflightScientific Reports
-
Jun 30
Evolution: Hawks learn on the fly to swoop up before perchingNature
-
Jun 28
Astronomy: Hydrogen- and helium-rich exoplanets may provide habitable conditions for billions of yearsNature Astronomy
-
Jun 24
Sport science: New wearable sensor to measure neck strain may detect potential concussionScientific Reports
-
Jun 23
Scientific community: Women credited less than men in scientific paper authorshipNature