Nano-Dumbbells for Single-Molecule Diagnostics from Saliva

Krassen Dimitrov of the University of Queensland in Australia will develop a new diagnostic test which utilizes nanoparticles which bind to specific biomarkers in saliva that are present during infection. With a magnetic particle binding to one side of a biomarker and a non-magnetic particle attaching to the other side, a visual "dumbbell" is formed, which can be detected using a low-cost magnetic reader.