Cambridge scientists have developed a urine test for early detection of lung cancer. The test, the first of its kind, detects ‘zombie’ cells that could indicate the first signs of the disease.
Marcel Gehrung, co-founder and CEO of rapidly growing Cambridge biotech company, Cyted, on revolutionising disease diagnostics and the challenges of building a business during a pandemic.
Patients who are at a higher risk of their lung cancer returning can be identified by a personalised blood test that is performed after treatment, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge.
Researchers from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute have developed two tests that can detect the presence of glioma, a type of brain tumour, in patient urine or blood plasma.
Markers in our blood – ‘fingerprints’ of infection – could help identify individuals who have been infected by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, several months after infection even if the individual had only mild symptoms or showed no symptoms at all, say Cambridge researchers.
Artificial intelligence ‘deep learning’ techniques can be used to triage suspected cases of Barrett oesophagus, a precursor to oesophageal cancer, potentially leading to faster and earlier diagnoses, say researchers at the University of Cambridge.
Since the start of October, a dedicated team drawn from across the University and its Colleges has been running an innovate programme to screen its students for COVID-19. Getting it up and running in time may have been a Herculean task, but its success has been remarkable.
Researchers have developed a free, open-source toolkit that allows laboratories in developing countries to produce their own tools for COVID-19 research and diagnosis, without relying on an increasingly fractured global supply chain.
Researchers say faster tests helped expedite access to life-saving treatments such as organ transplants – and might make all the difference later this year.
The diagnostic industry in countries such as Germany, South Korea and China lead the pack on getting coronavirus tests ready for market. Researchers warn that lax EU regulations could see it become a “dumping ground” for bad tests.
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