JNCASR scientists develop smartphone-based diagnostic system for detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have created an affordable, easy-to-use diagnostic system for detecting Alzheimer's disease using a smartphone. The platform utilizes a tiny molecule that changes its fluorescence intensity upon interaction with amyloid-β (Aβ), a key biomarker of Alzheimer's.

This change in fluorescence is captured and quantified through a smartphone application, enabling rapid and user-friendly detection of the disease. The research team, led by Professor Krithi K. Bhagavath, developed ADxFluor, a smartphone-integrated platform that combines dual-mode brain imaging, biofluid detection, and smartphone-based quantification of Aβ in biofluids.

This smart diagnostic system offers a promising alternative to expensive and complex blood-based assays, which are often inaccessible due to their high cost and technical requirements. The study highlights the potential of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy in enhancing diagnostic precision for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.