Context:

• Scientists have developed a new cell phone-based blood testing technology that can provide immediate results in the comfort of one’s home or a doctor’s clinic.

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay:

• Researchers at the University of South Florida in the U.S. created a mobile version of the “Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay” , the gold standard technique used to detect the presence of an antibody or antigen. Instead of sending patients to a laboratory, the cell phone-based technology allows for the very same test to be conducted in the doctor’s office, clinic or even in a remote area.
• It allows patients to undergo testing and obtain results at point-of-care.

Mobile Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (MELISA):

• The Mobile Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (MELISA) device measures progesterone levels, a key hormone that impacts female fertility and is indicative of some cancers.
• MELISA consists of a water bath heater that incubates samples at a target temperature and analyses them via images taken by cellphone.
• It uses colour analysis to determine the RGB (red, green, blue) colour components of each sample.
• It is designed to make biomedical testing simple and affordable.

Source:TH