Scientists at the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are creating a “lab on a chip” for real-time blood analysis

Scientists at the Institute of Automation and Control Processes of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are creating a “laboratory on a chip” with which it will be possible to analyze the biochemical composition of blood in real time, Academician Yuri Kulchin, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“It’s impossible to say right away that they will quickly create robots that can be launched into a person for diagnosis. But we are gradually moving towards this. For example, at the Institute of Automation of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, scientists are working on issues related to the development of a “laboratory on a chip”. A system is being created that allows analyzing the biochemical composition of blood in real time, and it does not require large amounts of blood,” the interlocutor said.

He noted that the development uses methods of induced photoluminescence: when light is directed, each molecule “responds” in a certain range of the spectrum, and scientists receive a “passport”, the indicators in which will change depending on the biochemical composition of the blood and the presence or absence of disease in a person.

“Usually the signals are very weak. To amplify them, a so-called plasma system is used: a set of needles is created on the chip, and each one is a signal amplifier. Therefore, small drops of blood are enough. And such a chip can be used in a phone - this is what we are striving for,” the academician noted.