IIT-BHU develops portable device for early detection of bone cancer
Varanasi: In a significant advancement for cancer diagnostics, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, have developed a miniaturised self-reporting bioelectronic device capable of detecting early-stage bone cancer with high sensitivity.
The device identifies Osteopontin (OPN), a crucial biomarker associated with osteosarcoma — a highly aggressive form of bone cancer that primarily affects children and adolescents.
The breakthrough, published in Nanoscale, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, eliminates the need for expensive reagents and laboratory procedures. Designed as a reagent-less immunosensor, the device enables on-the-spot and affordable testing, especially beneficial in rural and resource-constrained areas where early cancer detection is often delayed.The research team, led by Prof.
Pranjal Chandra, Associate Professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering, includes research scholars Daphika S Dkhar and Supratim Mahapatra.
The device uses a custom sensor surface composed of gold and redox-active nanomaterials, allowing it to function similarly to a glucose meter. "This self-reporting system works with just a buffer solution and requires no chemical mediators. Its simplicity and portability make it ideal for use at primary health centres," said Prof.
Chandra.
Unlike current methods of OPN detection, which are costly and time-consuming, the new device offers rapid and accurate results with minimal equipment. A patent application has been filed, and efforts are underway to convert the prototype into a smartphone-compatible diagnostic kit for remote healthcare access.
Highlighting the national relevance of the project, IIT (BHU) Director Prof. Amit Patra said the innovation aligns with the Government of India's Make in India and Start-up India initiatives. He praised the team for contributing to precision medicine and termed the device an example of "technology with a human face."
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