Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a new technology that can potentially provide rapid diagnostics. This discovery uses the “coffee-ring effect” along with plasmonics and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect disease biomarkers in just minutes. If proven successful, this new technology could present a better future for health diagnostics by providing a timely, non-invasive, and cost-efficient way to monitor health even at home.
Biosensor for advanced diagnostics
The use of the “coffee-ring effect” started when Kamyar Behrouzi, one of the researchers, was working on a COVID-19 biosensor and noticed that test droplets dried into ring-like marks. This occurs when a droplet of liquid, such as coffee, dries and leaves behind a ring-shaped stain. This can also happen to other liquids, like ink and wine. He saw that the coffee-ring effect could be used to concentrate particles and make the virus easier to detect, and this realization helped sprout the idea into something bigger.
UC Berkeley engineers took advantage of this phenomenon to advance diagnostics. To run a test, a tiny drop of liquid, like a nose or cheek swab, is placed onto a special surface. As it dries, any signs of disease gather in a coffee-ring effect. Then, another drop containing plasmonic nanoparticles designed to stick to those disease biomarkers is added. Even with visual observation, users can see changes in patterns in case biomarkers are present. With an AI-powered app, the disease can be detected, and other results can be further interpreted. According to Liwei Lin, the lead researcher and top mechanical engineering professor at UC Berkeley, this recent innovation “could help doctors detect sepsis in 10 to 15 minutes.”
Easier detection
Early detection of diseases can save many lives. By taking advantage of the coffee-ring effect, the research presents a possibility of an affordable and accurate at-home test and diagnostic. Due to the accessibility and simplicity of the procedure, it can also reach and help remote areas that lack healthcare infrastructure. However, as with other innovations and medical breakthroughs, more studies, trials, and actual deployment of the test kits are still necessary to determine accuracy and reliability. If proven effective, it will not only benefit patients but also healthcare providers.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been taken by Brian A Jackson. The image in the body of the article is owned by Kamyar Behrouzi, et al., and was published in the Nature Communications journal.
Sources: Kara Manke (UC Berkeley News) / Kamyar Behrouzi, et al. (Nature Communications)
