Move over, colonoscopies — researchers writing in ACS Sensors report that they have created tiny microspheres filled with bacteria that can sense the presence of blood, a key sign of gastrointestinal disease. These microspheres function like miniature “pills” that are swallowed and include magnetic particles so they can be easily collected from stool. After passing through mouse models with colitis, the sensors detected gastrointestinal bleeding within minutes. The team notes that the same bacterial system could eventually be engineered to identify other gut-related conditions.
“This technology provides a new paradigm for rapid and non-invasive detection of gastrointestinal diseases,” says Ying Zhou, a co-author of the study.