The human digestive system encompasses a large number of different organs that are involved in the process of producing and delivering nutrients to the body. That is why there is also a wide range of possible gastrointestinal diseases . Many of these conditions require an endoscopic examination, which involves inserting a tube into the body with a lens and a camera. And in addition to the added cost of this intervention, there are different associated discomforts. Now, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge (USA) has developed a new way to monitor or explore the digestive tract that could save many of these problems .
A group of researchers from the entity has developed a sensor equipped with genetically modified bacteria that can diagnose digestive disorders, such as stomach bleeding or other problems, through the ingestion of a pill.
To make these bacteria more useful for applications in the digital world, the MIT team also decided to combine them with an electronic chip that could translate the bacterial response into a wireless signal detectable and visible to our mobile device.
“Our idea was to package bacterial cells into a device,” says one of the scientists in charge of the project, Phillip Nadeau . “The cells will catch them and accompany the device on its journey through the stomach.”
The characteristics and dimensions of the device are designed to facilitate oral consumption. It is a cylinder approximately 3.5 centimeters long , which requires about 13 microwatts of power. The scientists equipped the sensor with a 2.7-volt battery, which they estimate could power the device for nearly two months of continuous use .
According to one of the team’s scientists, Timothy Lu , “By combining engineered biological sensors together with low-power wireless electronics, we can detect biological signals in the body in near real time, which will enable new diagnostic capabilities for healthcare applications. human “.
Wireless communication and diagnostics
In the last decade, biologists have made great strides in engineering bacteria to respond to stimuli such as environmental pollutants or disease markers. These bacteria can be engineered to do things like emit light when they detect the target stimulus, but specialized laboratory equipment is generally required to measure this response.
For the development of the sensor, the researchers tested its effectiveness in pigs and showed that it could be effectively checked whether blood was present in the stomach. According to experts, this type of sensor could be implemented for a single use, remaining in the digestive tract for several days or weeks, sending continuous signals to a device.
“The objective with this sensor is that an unnecessary and annoying procedure such as endoscopy can be avoided by simply ingesting a capsule, and in a relatively short period of time, knowing if there is a hemorrhage”, they assure.
To make it easier for the patient to use this technology, the researchers plan to reduce the size of the sensor and study the exact time that bacterial cells can survive in the digestive tract. They also hope to develop sensors for gastrointestinal conditions other than the hemorrhagic type.
