Research Lead
John Callan of the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland has developed an optical sensor which could lead to more effective diagnosis of disease from blood samples.
The device uses quantum dots, a relatively new class of fluorescent compounds, which have superior optical properties compared with organic dyes currently used in optical sensors. By attaching an organic receptor to the surface of a quantum dot Callan has developed a sensor which can simultaneously detect copper and iron, thus potentially speeding up diagnosis.
The receptor shows no selectivity for any particular metal ion until it is anchored to the quantum dot surface. Copper and iron are detected by the sample solution changing colour when the metal comes into contact with the sensor.
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