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said Andrew Steckl, an Ohio Eminent Scholar and distinguished research professor in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. <\/p>\n
“It’s been quite the challenge to get to the point where we can detect this toxin created by the bacteria responsible for gingivitis,” he said. <\/p>\n
Steckl and UC Senior Research Associate Daewoo Han collaborated with Sancai Xie, a principal scientist at Procter & Gamble Co., and described their results in a paper published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Sensors and Diagnostics. <\/i> <\/p>\n
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Steckl’s research team has been exploring biosensing for various applications. They studied stress hormones in sweat in collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Now they are studying saliva. <\/p>\n
“There are good reasons to use saliva,” he said. “It’s relatively plentiful and easy to obtain through noninvasive methods. And saliva has a lot of important elements that can act as indicators of your health.” <\/p>\n
Bacteria from gingivitis can travel through the bloodstream, leading to cardiovascular disease and other serious health problems, <\/b> Steckl said. <\/p>\n
But saliva is a complicated biofluid, said Han, the study’s lead author.
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Researchers pretreated the sample using potato starch to remove a protein called amylase that could interfere with the test results. Their test uses antibodies that react to the endotoxins found in the bacteria. <\/p>\n
“Daewoo worked very hard on many dead-ends before he had success,” Steckl said. “I tell my students that research is search, search and re-search until you find the answer.” <\/p>\n
At-home health testing has been available for generations in niche uses such as detecting pregnancy. But the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a wide audience of consumers to the concept of monitoring their health with new technology. <\/p>\n
The at-home testing industry is expected to generate $45 billion annually by 2031, according to Allied Market Research. <\/b> <\/p>\n
Steckl said he sees a lot of opportunity for new consumer products. <\/p>\n
“Our results definitely show promise,” Steckl said. “Sometimes it comes easy. Most of the time you have to persevere.”
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Reference :<\/b><\/p>\n Source: Eurekalert
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\n– (https:\/\/pubs.rsc.org\/en\/content\/articlelanding\/2023\/SD\/D3SD00158J)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n