A team at Osaka Metropolitan University has created an innovative light-powered immunoassay that can detect the coronavirus’ (SARS-CoV-2) proteins in minute quantities from a salivary sample in 5 minutes, scientists reported in the journal Integrative Biology. The novel method is highly sensitive and perfect for early diagnosis and design of on-the-spot tests for infectious diseases like COVID-19, molecular markers of cancers, neurodegenerative illnesses, among other issues.
Harnessing the Power of Light
Moths are not the only creatures attracted to the seductive call of glowing microbes. For this, taking advantage of these universality researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Research Institute for Light-induced Acceleration System (RILACS) has created a new way to easily and quickly identify the presence of virus.
Their secret lies in using a nanoparticle imprinted plasmonic substrate, or a biochip dotted with tiny nanobowl structures 500 nanometers across. Conjugated with antibodies specific to the spike proteins of COVID-19, these flake-like nanobowls can serve as an ultra-sensitive and selective detection platform.
Convection by Laser-Heated Bubbles
The real change comes from shining a low-power laser that is about as powerful as the kind of laser pointer people use on biochips. The laser in this case is capable of producing no more than 5 milliwatts of power and causes small bubbles to form along the surface of a substrate. And to do so, the heat-generating bubbles generate a convection-driven flow that attracts virus-mimicking nanoparticles and deposits them in the region where the substrate meets the bottom of the bubble.
This cleverly eliminates the requirement to have a high concentration of nanoparticles, as the light-induced convection essentially does all of the work. This in its entirety is achieved within 5 min,rendrering it a very fast diagnostic tool.
Conclusion
The newly developed light-induced immunoassay, pioneered by experts from Osaka Metropolitan University, offers exciting prospects for improving diagnostic work related to a variety of diseases. This technology could lead to earlier interventions and improve disease management by allowing for the rapid detection of a variety of targets from infectious diseases to cancers, and even neurodegenerative conditions. Buoyed by its lightning-fast speed of detection and easy user interface, this ground-breaking offering could reshape healthcare by empowering practitioners — not to mention patients themselves — to anticipate the next health challenge we throw at them.
