When Present joins hands with Past…!
A new technique to increase the speed of medical tests has been developed by combining cutting-edge nanoscience with a magnetic phenomenon discovered more than 170 years ago.
This combination technique—created by Researchers at the University of Central Florida— could lead to a biochemical immunology test completed in as little as 15 minutes, compared to several hours for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which is the current standard approach for biomolecule detection.
The test could be utilized for HIV, Lyme disease, syphilis, rotavirus and other infectious diseases as well.
They mixed the nanoparticles in a test solution, which allowed the BSA proteins to preferentially bind with the antibodies that coat the nanoparticles.
They used nanoparticles with an iron core and applied a magnetic field to the solution, which caused the particles to align in a particular formation.
The proteins bound to the antibody-coated particles, while the rotation of the particles became sluggish and easier to detect with laser optics.
Other antigens and their unique antibodies could be substituted for BSA protein used in the research, which could be used in medical tests for a wide array of infectious diseases.
For more details: - http://www.rdmag.com/article/2017/01/new-biochemical-immunology-test-combines-nanoscience-century-old-technique