Nanotube and Medical Diagnostics

Excerpt from "Nanotube technology leading to fast, lower-cost medical diagnostics," Physorg March 9, 2012--Researchers at Oregon State University have tapped into the extraordinary power of carbon “nanotubes” to increase the speed of biological sensors, a technology that might one day allow a doctor to routinely perform lab tests in minutes, speeding diagnosis and treatment while reducing costs.

The new findings have almost tripled the speed of prototype nano-biosensors, and should find applications not only in medicine but in toxicology, environmental monitoring, new drug development and other fields. “With these types of sensors, it should be possible to do many medical lab tests in minutes, allowing the doctor to make a diagnosis during a single office visit,” said Ethan Minot, an OSU assistant professor of physics. “Many existing tests take days, cost quite a bit and require trained laboratory technicians. “This approach should accomplish the same thing with a hand-held sensor, and might cut the cost of an existing $50 lab test to about $1,” he said.

The key to the new technology, the researchers say, is the unusual capability of carbon nanotubes. An outgrowth of nanotechnology, which deals with extraordinarily small particles near the molecular level, these nanotubes are long, hollow structures that have unique mechanical, optical and electronic properties, and are finding many applications. In this case, carbon nanotubes can be used to detect a protein on the surface of a sensor. The nanotubes change their electrical resistance when a protein lands on them, and the extent of this change can be measured to determine the presence of a particular protein – such as serum and ductal protein biomarkers that may be indicators of breast cancer.

Further work is needed to improve the selective binding of proteins, the scientists said, before it is ready to develop into commercial biosensors. “Electronic detection of blood-borne biomarker proteins offers the exciting possibility of point-of-care medical diagnostics,” the researchers wrote in their study. “Ideally such electronic biosensor devices would be low-cost and would quantify multiple biomarkers within a few minutes.”

Director of Global Health Outreach Don Thompson, MD: "These nanotube-based diagnostics move us closer to Star Trek’s 'tricorder' multifunction handheld device. There are also DNA chip-based diagnostics in testing phases that have been developed by the military for use in rapid diagnosis; for example, to diagnose a fever of unknown origin in a patient who may have been exposed to an exotic natural or manmade pathogen. These technologies will go far to helping clinicians as the point of care in ruling out many potential diagnoses, and will help us focus on the unknowns.

"Don’t worry, we are unlikely to be out of a job anytime soon from these technologies. They are unlikely to provide much help in diagnosing anything beyond the biological realm. We will still practice our art and science on the psychological, social and spiritual realms that make up this fantastic creation called the human being. We must still come alongside each and every patient and pray for healing, and reassure our patients that when God withholds healing power, He provides suffering power. When God withholds delivering power, He provides dying power. These powers are unlikely to become available from nanotubes! "

Christian Doctor's Digest: Dr. James Tour - Nanotechnology and Faith (mp3)