ROURKELA: In what could revolutionise early breast cancer detection for effective and timely cancer management, researchers at the National Institute of Technology - Rourkela (NIT-R) have developed a technology for simpler, faster and affordable detection of breast cancer cells.
The technology - a novel semiconductor device-based biosensor model in computer simulation test - has been developed by NIT-R’s Prof Prasanna Kumar Sahu of the department of electrical engineering along with his research scholar Priyanka Karmakar. It requires no complicated or expensive laboratory procedures but accurately identifies breast cancer cells.
The country has been witnessing a rise in breast cancer cases with the disease often not showing initial signs of progression. Diagnostic procedures like mammography, X-ray, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Test (ELISA), ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are used to identify the disease. These methods need specialised equipment and trained personnel and are often beyond the reach of poor people.
Sahu explains that the technology uses the physical properties of cancer cells to detect them. Cancerous breast tissues, which hold more water and are denser than healthy tissues, interact differently with microwave radiation. These differences, known as dielectric properties, make it possible to distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells.
They have used a tunnel field effect transistor (TFET) for the technology. A TFET has different applications and Sahu and Karmakar thought of using the TFET as a sensitive detector of biological materials. Sahu says in the computer simulation investigation using the TCAD (Technology Computer-Aided Design) software at the institute’s nano research laboratory, they designed a TFET device with necessary structural and characteristic changes and tested the parameters.
A small cavity is etched into the transistor and an equivalent material of biological sample of cells is placed in the cavity to check the sensitivities of the device. “The sensor then reads changes in electrical signals based on the properties of the sample, essentially ‘sensing’ whether the cells are cancerous or healthy. Because cancer cells like T47D have a higher dielectric constant than healthy ones like MCF-10A, the sensor picks up these differences quickly and with high precision.” he explains.
However, the technology comes with a rider due to India’s limitation in designing and fabricating nano devices. “The technology is available but there is no prototype yet. We are exploring potential collaborations for fabrication and scientific validation of the developed technology,” he says.
Sahu adds that their proposed sophisticated biosensor device would be below 100 nanometre and only few foreign technology companies like Intel, IBM and Motorola have the capability to design and fabricate such nano devices.