In a recent clinical trial, researchers from Flinders University developed an inexpensive and portable biosensor device which could precisely measure albumin levels in a patient′s urine. The findings have been published in Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research (Elsevier).

It uses a modern and advanced open-access system that monitors urine biomarker concentrations using an aggregation-induced emission biosensor system that may also be used to potentially monitor malignancies, the accumulation of amyloid plaque, and other disease markers.

The device, which may be operated by a technician without the aid of a clinical environment or specialized diagnostic laboratory, just needs a digital camera, computer, one light source, and access to the software.

The platform proof-of-concept study was able to identify variations in albumin levels in urine samples down to 25 mg/litre, making it a potential tool for identifying and tracking albuminuria levels for renal disease.

This novel technique may aid in the early detection of chronic kidney disease, which is thought to affect 7% of the world′s population and has the potential to benefit patients in distant and rural areas as well as communities with little access to healthcare. (News-Medical.Net, Jul 1 2022)