US researchers have developed a multichannel, portable, smartphone spectrometer that can identify the cancer biomarker interleukin-6 (IL-6) with the same level quality as a laboratory instrument. The new device, created by Washington State University researchers, can analyse eight samples simultaneously using an ELISA test, unlike other smartphone spectrometers, which can only monitor one sample.

“What’s more, we have this unique design that is ultra low-cost, compact, and highly accurate,” said lead researcher Lei Li, assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. The team found that the device reached 99% accuracy when tested on standard lab-controlled samples and they will move the portable laboratory into real-world scenarios once the team finds collaborators. In addition, users have the option to either run eight tests on a single sample, or perform the same test on eight different samples. The smartphone is integrated with optical components and sits in a 3D printed cradle. At a total cost of less than $150, the multichannel optical biosensor will be valuable in high-throughput point-of-care diagnostics. “The spectrometer would be especially useful in clinics and hospitals that have a large number of samples without onsite labs, or for doctors who practice abroad or in remote areas,” Dr Li added. The team plans to develop a series of platforms for different applications and users. Biomarkers other than interleukin-6, which is present in prostate, liver, and other cancers, can also be tested in the future. The research was recently published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.