The technology arm of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Singapore-based Biosensorix are developing a device to help detect dengue fever and stroke. The joint development is a biosensor that can detect the composition of chemicals in the blood to diagnose diseases within minutes, eliminating the need to send blood and tissues samples to the lab.
- The new kit is a “breakthrough” because it can quickly measure the level of a biomarker very cheaply
- The technology are trying to decentralize medicine by allowing patients to test themselves at home and receive immediate test results at a very low cost to healthcare providers, eliminating the need for lab testing
- The quick diagnosis enables medical staff to start treating patients without needing to wait for lab results
- The kit is made up of two components: a USB stick-like blood-testing strip which the patients use by pricking their finger to collect blood samples, and a second device that looks like an iPhone, into which they insert the USB with the blood sample to analyze its chemical composition
- With the new diagnostic kit, the physician can release the patient within half an hour, saving time and money
- A second kit currently under development can provide information that would help prevent stroke and detect the possibility of a secondary stroke, which often occurs after the patient is released from the hospital
- The device, which can be used at home, has two applications for stroke. It can help prevent the occurrence of stroke by monitoring the patient’s blood chemistry on a weekly basis and providing risk assessments quickly, within 15 minutes, compared with lab testing which can take days or weeks