Scientists from the Pohang University of Science and Technology have developed a simple, thermometer-like device that could help doctors diagnose heart attacks. The technology detects troponin, a protein that rises when blood is cut off from the heart and muscle is damaged.
Detecting troponin today requires bulky, expensive instruments, and the current methods are often not practical for point-of-care use or in low-income areas. Inspired by the simplicity of alcohol and mercury thermometers, the researchers detect troponin with basic parts: a glass vial, specialized nanoparticles, a drop of ink, and a skinny tube.
When human serum with troponin — even at a minute concentration — is mixed with the nanoparticles and put in the vial, the ink climbs up a protruding tube and can be read with the naked eye, just like a thermometer.
