New 50-cent disease sensor successfully detects cancer, could also detect HIV and other illnesses

A breakthrough at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) could soon make sophisticated medical diagnostics as cheap and accessible as a blood glucose test. A research team has developed a 50-cent electrochemical sensor that can detect specific disease genes, and crucially, can be stored for up to two months at room temperature.

The technology uses a DNA-coated electrode and leverages a CRISPR-based enzyme, Cas12. When the sensor encounters a target gene from a virus or cancer cell, the enzyme activates and begins to shred the DNA on the electrode. This action creates a distinct electrical signal, confirming a positive result. While promising, a key challenge has been the fragility of the DNA coating, which previously limited the sensors' shelf-life to only a few days.

The MIT team, led by Professor Ariel Furst, solved this by applying a simple, inexpensive coating of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a common polymer. The PVA acts like a protective tarp, stabilizing the delicate DNA and allowing the sensors to be stored and shipped without refrigeration. After two months in storage at temperatures up to 150 °F (65.56 °C), the team confirmed the sensors could still accurately detect a gene associated with prostate cancer.

Our focus is on diagnostics that many people have limited access to, and our goal is to create a point-of-use sensor. People wouldn’t even need to be in a clinic to use it. You could do it at home. — Professor Ariel Furst.

The versatility of the platform means it can be adapted to test for a wide range of infectious diseases, such as HIV and HPV, and various cancers using samples like urine or saliva. A group from Furst’s lab is now launching a startup through MIT’s delta v accelerator to begin testing the durable sensors with patient samples in real-world environments.

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