Innovative sensor to aid coeliac disease patients
Currently, the only known therapy for coeliac disease is a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, a large number of raw foodstuffs as well as prepared foods contain Coeliac disease toxic gluten (CD-toxic gluten). Research funded by the Fifth Framework Programme sought to develop advanced sensors capable of detecting minute amounts of CD-toxic gluten in food. During the project, entitled CD-CHEF, special nucleotides known as aptamers were isolated for the determination of the presence of gliadin, a protein essential in the production of gluten. Technobiochip, a CD-CHEF participant with considerable expertise in sensor development, exploited these aptamers to create a sensor able to detect gliadin down to part per million concentrations. The so-called aptasensor is based on resonant mass transduction in combination with a quartz crystal balance. It was designed for use in the laboratory environment, where it can be re-used. Technobiochip has performed a patent search and is seeking partners for the commercial exploitation of the technology, which it hopes to eventually deploy in the field.
