Nasal Swab on Smart Papers may Help Diagnose Diseases

Nose pickers can now rejoice, as their nasal excavation is actually highly regarded in the field of medical science. That excuse may not convince your accusers or absolve your dirty habits, but it's a great segue into the work of GE researcher Davide Moore.

In collaboration with scientists from the University of Washington, Moore and his team are designing sheets of disposable "intelligent" paper that can detect multiple pathogens from a single nasal swab, Discovery News reported.

Moore and company's efforts arose out of the often long wait for medical test results, which can amplify a patient's anxiety, delay diagnosis and slow recovery.

The smart paper Moore and his team are working on would be no bigger than a deck of cards and could diagnose disease within an hour. The paper would change colour and the array of spots seen on the strip could be read using a smartphone app.

Diagnostic card kits that collect, preserve and stabilize drops of blood and saliva, and specks of DNA and cells have already been developed by GE scientists.

Such kits have inspired this next generation of smart papers and membranes that can preserve and analyze nasal swabs.

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Source-ANI