ATL Standard

Chemical and biomolecular engineers at Georgia Tech have developed a new platform for detecting protein biomarkers of disease. This innovation is designed to be simple, flexible, and operable without expensive laboratory equipment. The technology aims to expand at-home testing options and enhance diagnostic capabilities in areas with limited medical resources.

The platform addresses a gap in the use of cell-free synthetic biology for disease detection. While existing cell-free tools effectively measure DNA, RNA, and other small molecules, they have not been successful in detecting proteins until now. Proteins are crucial for detection as they tend to change less than the DNA or RNA sequences that encode them. They are also more accessible since they can be located on cell walls or free-floating in biofluids.

Mark Styczynski, William R. McLain Endowed Professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, emphasized the potential impact of this development: “Diagnosing disease and democratizing medical care by putting it into the public's hands has great potential. You can have a big impact on a lot of people.”

Styczynski further highlighted the importance of such innovations for both developing regions and areas within the United States facing healthcare inequalities: “I think about that a lot in terms of the developing world, but also there's a lot of healthcare inequality even in the United States. Studies have shown your ZIP code can determine your life expectancy. You can think about people in sub-Saharan Africa or people in rural Appalachia all benefiting. They’re among those who need more access to low-cost tools.”

The research team, led by former Ph.D. student Megan McSweeney along with Styczynski, published their findings in late February in Science Advances.

For more details, visit the College of Engineering website.