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Inhalable sensors for early lung cancer detection
The groundbreaking diagnostic method relies on nanosensors, which are administered through an inhaler or nebulizer.
Sangeeta Bhatia, an engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is leading the development of a groundbreaking technology that could revolutionize the diagnosis of lung cancer.
The innovative approach, involving inhaling nanoparticle sensors and subsequently undergoing a urine test to determine the presence of a tumor, could potentially make the diagnostic process simpler and more accessible.
The groundbreaking diagnostic method relies on nanosensors, administered through an inhaler or nebulizer. These sensors react to cancer-associated proteins in the lungs, generating a signal that accumulates in the urine.
The presence of this signal can further be detected using a straightforward paper test strip. It offers a non-invasive and potentially more accessible means of diagnosing lung cancer.
“Around the world, cancer is going to become more and more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The epidemiology of lung cancer globally is that it’s driven by pollution and smoking, so we know that those are settings where accessibility to this kind of technology could have a big impact,” Bhatia, who is also the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, said.
Additionally, she is affiliated with MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science. Her works in the intersection of health sciences, technology, electrical engineering, and computer science highlight her interdisciplinary approach to advancing medical research.
Bhatia has dedicated the past decade to developing nanosensors for diagnosing various diseases, including cancer. In this particular study, she and her team investigated the potential of these nanosensors as a more accessible alternative to CT screening for lung cancer.
“We were really pushing this assay to be point-of-care available in a low-resource setting, so the idea was to not do any sample processing, not do any amplification, just to be able to put the sample right on the paper and read it out in 20 minutes,” Bhatia added.
She is a member of all three prestigious U.S. National Academies: the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Her numerous accolades include the Lemelson-MIT Prize, often referred to as the "Oscar" for inventors, the Heinz Medal, and the Othmer Gold Medal. These accolades recognize her groundbreaking inventions and advocacy for women in STEM fields. Currently, she serves as a Trustee at Brown University and Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
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