Avian alert

Low-cost, disposable bio-sensors designed to allow on-the-spot detection of outbreaks of bird flu are being developed by engineers in Cambridge.

The BiMAT bio-sensor technology would allow doctors or vets to instantly analyse small amounts of blood from humans, animals or birds, removing the need for samples to be sent to a laboratory for analysis, claimed researchers working on the project.

Early detection of bird flu is seen as vital for effectively containing outbreaks through measures such as culls or quarantine, especially in remote locations. BiMAT is under development at The Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) at Cambridge University.

Also involved is US nanotechnology specialist Advance Nanotech, an investor in the project. The New York-based company told The Engineer this week that development of BiMAT would be made a priority, given the current climate of concern over avian flu and its now notorious H5N1 variant, which can be fatal in humans. The government’s medical advisers have warned that even if the current feared epidemic fails to materialise, one is inevitable soon.