WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - New research led by Michigan State University (MSU) revealed that honey bees have the remarkable ability to detect specific biomarkers and chemical concentrations associated with lung cancer in human breath. This discovery, published in the Biosensors and Bioelectronics journal, has significant implications for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
Researchers from MSU's College of Engineering and Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering conducted a comprehensive study over three years, with Professor Debajit Saha at the helm. Professor Saha emphasized the extraordinary olfactory capabilities that bees and dogs possess, highlighting the potential for leveraging these natural abilities in advanced diagnostics.
The research team built a method to replicate the breath of individuals with lung cancer and exposed 20 honey bees to this synthetic breath. By monitoring the bees' neural signals through electrodes connected to a 3D-printed harness, the researchers observed distinct alterations in the bees' neural firing response when exposed to synthetic cancerous breath compared to synthetic healthy breath.
Remarkably, the honeybees demonstrated an exceptional ability to detect minute changes in chemical concentrations, with the capacity to discern parts-per-six-billion range differences in the breath mixture. This level of sensitivity holds promise for the development of highly accurate and noninvasive disease detection technologies.
The researchers aspired to create a sensor inspired by honeybee brains that could analyze a person's breath for cancer-causing chemicals with unmatched precision. This innovative approach could revolutionize diagnostic testing, offering a noninvasive method for detecting lung cancer early by simply having patients breathe into a specialized device.
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