Researchers from the Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials, CIC biomaGUNE have developed a new diagnostic method based on quantum dots which can have applications in clinical testing of AIDS, hepatitis C and other infectious diseases. This new patent-pending technique has merited the cover of the Chemistry- A European Journal.

Quantum dots are lit semiconductor nanostructures which re-emit light in a very specific wavelength. They provide high-contrast images which makes them very useful for diagnosis.

The CIC biomaGUNE research group headed by Valery Pavlov has developed an analytical test to detect the activity of two main enzymes through the generation of quantum dots: on the one hand, acetylcholinesterase, a human enzyme that is found in nervous tissues and red blood cells; and, on the other hand, alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme responsible for phosphate removal from molecules.

The generation of quantum dots during ELISA tests, a common method in clinical diagnosis, enables a simple detection of the antigens and antibodies of AIDS, Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases, which opens the door for its use in clinical trials.