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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 60: Physics of Parasites - Joint Focus Session (BP/DY) organized by Holger Stark

BP 60.5: Vortrag

Freitag, 24. März 2017, 11:45–12:00, SCH A251

The development of a novel malaria diagnostic device — •Agnes Orban¹, Adam Butykai¹, Petra Molnar¹, Maria Pukancsik¹, Tivadar Zelles², Stephan Karl³, and Istvan Kezsmarki¹ — ¹Dept. of Physics, Budapest Uni. of Technology and Economics and MTA-BME Lendület Magneto-optical Spectroscopy Research Group, 1111 Budapest, HU — ²Dept. of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, HU — ³Infection and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, AU

Although malaria is the most threatening parasitic disease worldwide and a global health issue, the current standard for its detection still remains the microscopic observation of stained blood smears. A novel cost-effective, automated, yet sensitive diagnostic method is needed for malaria detection both as an in-field instrument and as a laboratory tool for malaria researchers.

Our group aims to design such a device based on the detection of the magnetically induced linear dichroism of the malaria pigment crystals (hemozoin) by replacing the conventional polarization-modulation detection scheme with a rotating magnetic field. This concept enables a very high sensitivity detection of both synthetic and natural malaria pigment crystals as tested on suspensions of synthetic hemozoin; on hemozoin produced by in vitro Plasmodium falciparum cultures and on in vivo mouse models and human samples.

My brief introduction into the technological background will be followed by the presentations of the test results by my colleagues.