<p>Australian scientists say they have developed the "holy grail" of blood sugar testing for diabetics, a non-invasive strip that checks glucose levels via saliva.</p>.<p>For diabetics, managing their blood sugar levels typically means pricking their fingers multiple times a day with a lancet and then placing a drop of blood on a testing strip. Understandably, some diabetes sufferers avoid the painful process by minimizing their tests.</p>.<p>However, this latest test works by embedding an enzyme that detects glucose into a transistor that can then transmit the presence of glucose, according to Paul Dastoor, Professor of Physics at the University of Newcastle in Australia, who led the team that created it.</p>.<p>Since the electronic materials in the transistor are inks, the test can be made through printing at a low cost, Dastoor said.</p>.<p>"The holy grail of glucose testing has been something that is non-invasive," said Dastoor.</p>.<p>"[This test] really does open up the prospect of pain-free, low-cost glucose testing and hopefully much better outcomes for diabetes sufferers," he said.</p>.<p>The new test, Dastoor said, was created by chance as scientists were working on solar cells.</p>.<p>The project secured A$6.3 million ($4.7 million) in funding from the Australian government to establish a facility to produce the test kits should clinical trials be passed.</p>.<p>Dastoor says the technology could also be transferred to Covid-19 testing and allergen, hormone and cancer testing.</p>.<p>The university is already working with Harvard University on a test for Covid-19 using same technology, but it's the implications for other testing that has the physicist excited about the potential for the sensors.</p>.<p>"I think it's going to radically change the way we think about medical devices and in particular sensors because we can print these at remarkably low cost," said Dastoor.</p>
<p>Australian scientists say they have developed the "holy grail" of blood sugar testing for diabetics, a non-invasive strip that checks glucose levels via saliva.</p>.<p>For diabetics, managing their blood sugar levels typically means pricking their fingers multiple times a day with a lancet and then placing a drop of blood on a testing strip. Understandably, some diabetes sufferers avoid the painful process by minimizing their tests.</p>.<p>However, this latest test works by embedding an enzyme that detects glucose into a transistor that can then transmit the presence of glucose, according to Paul Dastoor, Professor of Physics at the University of Newcastle in Australia, who led the team that created it.</p>.<p>Since the electronic materials in the transistor are inks, the test can be made through printing at a low cost, Dastoor said.</p>.<p>"The holy grail of glucose testing has been something that is non-invasive," said Dastoor.</p>.<p>"[This test] really does open up the prospect of pain-free, low-cost glucose testing and hopefully much better outcomes for diabetes sufferers," he said.</p>.<p>The new test, Dastoor said, was created by chance as scientists were working on solar cells.</p>.<p>The project secured A$6.3 million ($4.7 million) in funding from the Australian government to establish a facility to produce the test kits should clinical trials be passed.</p>.<p>Dastoor says the technology could also be transferred to Covid-19 testing and allergen, hormone and cancer testing.</p>.<p>The university is already working with Harvard University on a test for Covid-19 using same technology, but it's the implications for other testing that has the physicist excited about the potential for the sensors.</p>.<p>"I think it's going to radically change the way we think about medical devices and in particular sensors because we can print these at remarkably low cost," said Dastoor.</p>