Pill sized heater could help diagnose diseases

This is the claim of a team from University of Toronto Engineering whose technology regulates the temperature of biological samples through different stages of diagnostic testing, which is crucial to the accuracy of test results.

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"The precision and flexibility of our heater opens the door to a future of do-it-yourself diagnostic kits," says PhD candidate Pranav Kadhiresan, who developed the device alongside PhD candidate Buddhisha Udugama, under the supervision of Professor Warren Chan.

"We could combine the simplicity of a high school chemistry set with the precision of cutting-edge lab instruments," Kadhiresan said in a statement. The technology behind the team's miniaturised heater is described in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

According to the university, multiple temperature-regulation steps are involved when carrying out diagnostic tests for infectious pathogens. The ability to control temperature is especially important in areas where access to large research facilities are limited.