| Posted: January 12, 2010 |
Gold nanoparticles used in detecting meningococcal meningitis |
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(Nanowerk News) Research by an RMIT University PhD graduate has led to the development of a diagnosis method that uses gold nanoparticles to detect deadly meningococcal meningitis disease in its early stages.
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The method developed by Dr Sapna Thoduka uses a change in the colour of a gold nanoparticle solution to indicate the presence of meningococcal DNA.
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The change in colour of the gold nanoparticle solution can be detected by the naked eye and the technique is being developed further for use in a point-of-care clinical setting, for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis.
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“In the future, this will hopefully lead to more rapid detection of meningococcal disease and earlier treatment, which will ultimately result in fewer deaths and less severe complications,” Dr Thoduka said.
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Meningococcal meningitis is a disease that progresses rapidly and can cause death if left untreated. Even if treated, it can still lead to severe complications.
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By diagnosing the disease early, it is possible to prevent death or severe complications by giving patients the most appropriate treatment.
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“I was interested in pursuing this research because of the severe nature of this disease and its rapid onset, as well as the multidisciplinary aspect of the research,” Dr Thoduka said.
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“My research involved applying knowledge about the unusual physical properties of gold nanoparticles and chemical interactions between DNA and the gold nanoparticles, to develop a method for detecting specific DNA sequences.”
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For her research project, Dr Thoduka worked with Nanotechnology Victoria.
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“I was fortunate that Nanotechnology Victoria was interested in my research,” she said.
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“I also hope that the detection method I’ve developed can be expanded to be used in the diagnosis of other diseases in the future.”
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