Biosensor for cancer diagnosis

The wonder-material graphene could hold the key to unlocking the next generation of advanced, early stage lung cancer diagnosis. 

A team of scientists from the University of Exeter has developed a new technique that could create a highly sensitive graphene biosensor with the capability to detect molecules of the most common lung cancer biomarkers. 

The new biosensor design could revolutionise existing electronic nose (e-nose) devices, that identify specific components of a specific vapour mixture -- for example a person's breath -- and analyses its chemical make-up to identify the cause. 

Using multi-layered graphene, the team suggested that current e-nose devices -- which combine electronic sensors with mechanisms for pattern recognition, such as a neural network -- could revolutionise breath diagnostic techniques.  Until now the lack of clinical symptoms in its early stages meant many patients are not diagnosed until the latter stage, which makes it difficult to cure.