Key points from article :
Most diagnostic methods use costly materials and are time-consuming and expensive to run.
Researchers have developed a cheaper, faster and ultrasensitive biosensor for point-of-care testing.
This is especially important for patients at an early stage of a disease such as cancer.
The platform was nanoengineered to read samples of blood, urine, saliva or plasma through a surface covered in a gold film.
Doctors take a small fluid sample from a patient and test for diseases instantly, for around one quarter of the cost of other diagnostic techniques.
Could be particularly useful in remote locations where rapid and early diagnostics were critical.
"Doctors will be able to use our platform to take a small fluid sample from a patient and test for diseases instantly, for around one quarter of the cost of other diagnostic techniques" - Professor Yamauchi.
Research by University of Queensland published in Nature Protocols.
