Cell phone-based tech to allow at-home blood testing

Scientists have developed a new cell phone-based blood testing technology that can provide immediate results in the comfort of one's home or a doctor's clinic.

Researchers at the University of South Florida in the US created a mobile version of the "Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay" (ELISA), the gold standard technique used to detect the presence of an antibody or antigen.

Instead of sending patients to a laboratory, new cell phone-based technology allows for the very same test to be conducted in the doctor's office, clinic or even in a remote area.

"ELISA is an important technology for biochemical analysis of proteins and hormones and is critical for the diagnosis of many diseases, such as HIV and Lyme Disease," said Anna Pyayt, assistant professor at the University of South Florida.

"But the machines required for the incubation and reading are expensive and bulky. The MELISA allows patients to undergo testing and obtain results at point-of-care," said Pyayt, corresponding author of the study published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

The Mobile Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (MELISA) device accurately measures progesterone levels, a key hormone that impacts female fertility and is indicative of some cancers.

MELISA consists of a water bath heater that incubates samples at a target temperature and analyses them via images taken by mobile phone.

It uses colour analysis to determine the RGB (red, green, blue) colour components of each sample.

The blue colour component is used for further analysis due to its sensitivity to the changes in progesterone concentration.

"It is designed to make biomedical testing simple and affordable. When low cost testing can be integrated with routine clinic visits, this would greatly improve the quality of healthcare and detect worrisome signs earlier," Pyayt said.

The portable MELISA weighs just one pound, dramatically helping older patients suffering chronic conditions and those across the world.