Photo credit: www.sciencedaily.com
Individuals seeking blood tests often encounter the familiar process of receiving a needle jab and then enduring lengthy wait times for lab results.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are aiming to transform that experience with an innovative handheld diagnostic system that utilizes sound waves to provide accurate results within an hour, requiring only a small finger prick for a blood sample.
The details of this technology are outlined in a recent study published on October 16 in the journal “Science Advances.”
“Our technology is designed to be user-friendly, suitable for various environments, and capable of delivering critical diagnostic insights promptly,” stated Wyatt Shields, the senior author and assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.
This research emerges amidst efforts by scientists to make diagnostic testing more accessible, particularly for populations in rural regions or developing nations. Traditional blood testing can be intimidating, especially for those who have a fear of needles.
Current rapid tests, such as those for COVID-19 or pregnancy, often offer a binary outcome regarding the presence of specific biomarkers in blood or urine. However, they typically cannot quantify the level of these markers and may lack the sensitivity needed to detect minor quantities.
On the other end of the spectrum, the conventional clinical blood tests are known for their high sensitivity and capability to identify rare biomarkers. Yet, they demand expensive equipment and intricate processes, resulting in delays before patients receive their results.
The researchers acknowledge the skepticism that arose following the collapse of Theranos Inc., a blood-testing startup that in 2015 claimed to be able to detect numerous biomarkers with a single drop of blood. They emphasize that their approach is fundamentally different and grounded in thorough experimentation and peer-reviewed evidence.
“While some aspirations for blood testing remain, the claims made by that company are unattainable at this time. However, many researchers remain hopeful that similar advancements may one day be feasible,” remarked Cooper Thome, the lead author and PhD candidate within the department. “This work represents a potential stepping stone toward that vision, resting on scientific backing accessible to all.”
Sound Diagnostics
Shields and Thome’s goal was to create a diagnostic tool that is not only sensitive and portable but also easy to operate.
Key to their innovation are uniquely crafted particles known as “functional negative acoustic contrast” particles (fNACPs) and a specially designed handheld device referred to as an “acoustic pipette,” which delivers sound waves to the blood samples.
Thome created the fNACPs, which resemble tiny rubber spheres sized to match cells, by customizing them with functional coatings enabling them to identify and capture specific biomarkers—such as viruses or proteins. The particles’ response to sound wave pressure differs from that of blood cells, a feature leveraged by the acoustic pipette.
“We essentially employ sound waves to control particles for the rapid isolation of desired markers from limited fluid volumes,” explained Thome. “This introduces a novel method for evaluating blood biomarkers.”
When a small blood sample is combined with these particles and introduced to the pipette, sound waves direct the particles to the walls of the chamber, where they are retained while the surrounding fluid is cleared away.
The resulting biomarkers, which adhere to the particles, are then marked with fluorescent tags and analyzed using lasers to quantify their concentration.
This entire process can be completed in under 70 minutes within a handheld device, making it exceptionally efficient.
“Our findings demonstrate that this acoustic pipette and particle system can match the sensitivity and specificity of standard clinical tests, but within a device that significantly simplifies the operational workflow,” stated Shields. “It opens the door for performing blood diagnostics right beside the patient’s bedside.”
This technology could be particularly beneficial for determining not just the presence of infectious diseases but also quantifying viral loads and monitoring their progression. Furthermore, it holds potential for measuring antibodies to ascertain the need for booster shots, assessing allergies, and identifying proteins linked to specific cancers.
As the study serves primarily as a proof-of-concept, further research is required before commercial application is viable. The authors are pursuing patent protection and investigating methods to enable testing of multiple patients simultaneously or for a variety of biomarkers at once.
“We believe this technology has significant potential to overcome long-standing issues associated with conventional blood sampling processes, reducing the need to transport samples to labs and wait for results,” concluded Shields.
Source
www.sciencedaily.com