A lecturer from The Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen has developed a sensor that could lead to more effective identification of disease and more effective development of treatments.
Dr John Callan of RGU's School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences has developed an optical sensor that could reduce the time and costs associated with identifying abnormal events occurring within blood plasma.
He investigated quantum dots, a relatively new class of fluorescent compounds that have superior optical properties compared with organic dyes currently used in optical sensors.
By attaching a simple organic receptor to the surface of a quantum dot, Dr Callan developed a sensor that can simultaneously detect copper and iron, potentially speeding up diagnosis.
Dr Callan said: 'The remarkable aspect of the work is that the receptor shows no selectivity for any particular metal ion until it is anchored to the quantum dot surface.
'Copper and iron are detected by the sample solution changing colour when the metal comes into contact with the sensor.' The Engineering and Physical Research Council funded the research with a grant worth GBP210,500.
