JNCASR scientists develop smartphone platform for Alzheimer's detection

Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in India have developed a smartphone-based platform designed to detect amyloid-beta, a key biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.

The technology utilizes a novel fluorescent probe called TZ-48, which reacts to amyloid-beta fibrils by changing its fluorescence intensity and lifetime. This reaction is captured by a smartphone-integrated system and application named ADxFluor, allowing for rapid, quantitative measurement of the protein.

Unlike current diagnostic methods such as PET scans or MRI, which require specialized infrastructure and high costs, this platform aims to provide a more accessible and scalable solution. In laboratory and animal studies, the probe successfully crossed the blood-brain barrier and accurately distinguished diseased mice from healthy ones using both cerebrospinal fluid and blood serum.