A new firm named nanoRETE has been established to design and market nanoparticle-based handheld biosensors to determine a variety of threats, including tuberculosis, anthrax, salmonella and E. coli.
Biosensor chips for use in handheld devices for detecting biohazards in the field, developed by biosystems and agricultural engineering professor Evangelyn Alocilja. (Credit: Kurt Stepnitz)
The novel detection and diagnostic technology paves the way to rapidly detect lethal toxins and pathogens directly at the field. It uses novel nanoparticles that have unique electrical, polymeric and magnetic properties.
nanoRETE’s Chief Scientific Officer, Evangelyn Alocilja, who also serves as Professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at Michigan State University (MSU), developed the nanoparticles. According to Alocilja, the novel preparation, extraction and detection technique does not require any specific training and allows the whole process to be carried out in the field.
Alocilja further stated that the biosensors can generate results by rapidly detecting contaminants within an hour of receiving a sample, thus enabling to carry out prompt and proper actions quickly. Michigan Accelerator Fund I, an investment partnership based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, financially supports nanoRETE.
The Chief Executive Officer at nanoRETE, Fred Beyerlein stated that the company’s X-MARK platform-based technology is capable of detecting several toxins and pathogens at once, in an economical, point-of-use and quick way. According to him, the technology allows the rapid identification and isolation of contaminated water or food prior to reaching consumers, thus making it suitable for sellers, packager or food growers.
nanoRETE licensed the technologies through MSU Technologies, an MSU office that controls technology transfer at the university. Besides other grants, the technologies received fund from the MSU Foundation. According to nanoRETE officials, price of the portable technology is only a fraction of the price of the closest competitive technology currently available in the market.