Researchers have developed a device that can help detect brain cancer in less than an hour.

It is an automated tool, developed by researchers at the University of Notre Dame, that can diagnose glioblastoma, a highly aggressive and currently incurable brain cancer, in 60 minutes.

Glioblastoma patients typically survive only 12 to 18 months after diagnosis.

The main part of this rapid diagnostic device is a biochip, which uses special technology to detect certain biomarkers, such as activated epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR).

These EGFRs are often found at high levels in glioblastoma and other cancers, and they are present in tiny particles secreted by cells called extracellular vesicles.

“Extracellular vesicles, or exosomes, are nanoparticles secreted by cells that are much larger than molecules and are weakly charged. Our technology is specifically designed to take advantage of these properties,” said Hsueh-Chia Chang, the Beyer Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Notre Dame and lead author of the study published in Communications Biology.

The research team faced two main challenges: distinguishing between active and inactive EGFRs and ensuring that their diagnostic device was both accurate and precise. They addressed these challenges by creating a small, cost-effective electrokinetic sensor.

This sensor works by forming multiple connections to particles in blood samples, making it more sensitive and accurate. It uses tiny synthetic particles to detect activated EGFRs, which cause a change in voltage, indicating the presence of glioblastoma.

This novel charge-sensing method reduces the interference often seen in current diagnostic technologies.

“Our sensor allows us to load blood samples directly without any pretreatment, providing higher sensitivity and lower noise compared to other technologies,” said Satyajyoti Senapati, co-author of the study.

The device consists of three components: an automation interface, a portable prototype machine, and a biochip. Each test requires only 100 microliters of blood and costs less than $2 (Rs. 168) on materials.

Although the technique was developed for glioblastoma, the researchers believe it could be adapted to detect biomarkers in other diseases, including pancreatic cancer, heart disease, dementia and epilepsy.

“Our technique is particularly suitable for glioblastoma, as it is deadly and lacks early detection tests, but we hope this technique will help detect the disease early and achieve better survival rates,” Chang said.

The device was tested using blood samples provided by the Brain Cancer Research Centre at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.