Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have achieved a significant breakthrough with the development of a nanosensor capable of swiftly detecting Cytokines, a crucial group of proteins regulating various cellular functions.

This pioneering technology aims to mitigate mortality rates stemming from delayed diagnoses and the absence of early warnings, offering promise as a rapid point-of-care technique for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, prognosis, and immune response tracking.

Cytokines serve as vital biomarkers of inflammation utilized in disease diagnosis and progression monitoring, playing pivotal roles in tissue repair, cancer evolution, and immune response modulation. The nanosensor's development, spearheaded by Akilandeshwari B and Sarvar Singh from the Departments of Bioscience and Bioengineering and Electrical Engineering respectively, along with Prof. Ajay Agarwal and Prof. Sushmita Jha, showcases its potential for advancing precision medicine and targeted therapeutics across various medical domains.

Published as a conference proceeding in the 2023 IEEE Applied Sensing Conference (APSCON), the sensor harnesses Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to detect analytes at low concentrations, operating on the principle of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). This semiconductor-based technology offers high precision and selectivity, revolutionizing disease detection.

Prof. Ajay Agarwal, highlighting the technology's prospects, stated, "This technique has demonstrated promising results for key pro-inflammatory cytokines, paving the way for clinical trials. Additionally, it holds potential for early-stage diagnosis of conditions like Sepsis and Fungal infections."

Unlike conventional methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which are time-consuming and labor-intensive, the IIT Jodhpur sensor delivers results within 30 minutes, significantly reducing analysis time and costs. Moreover, its integration with artificial intelligence (AI) facilitates rapid and accurate data processing, augmenting diagnostic efficiency and treatment efficacy.

The nanosensor's deployment promises to revolutionize disease diagnosis and treatment, enabling timely interventions and personalized medical care. With its transformative potential, it heralds a new era in healthcare, where swift and precise disease tracking empowers clinicians to navigate patients' medical journeys with unprecedented accuracy and efficacy.