On May 21, researchers from the University of Chicago announced a new development in medical technology that could change how diseases are detected. The team has created a portable device named ABLE, which stands for Airborne Biomarker Localization Engine. This device can collect and detect airborne molecules, potentially offering new methods for medical diagnosis and public health monitoring.
The research team envisions applications such as detecting airborne viruses or bacteria in hospitals and public spaces, improving neonatal care, and enabling people with diabetes to monitor glucose levels through their breath. UChicago Professor Bozhi Tian stated, “This project is among the most exciting endeavors we've pursued... We’re delighted to see it come to fruition.”
The study was published on May 21 in Nature Chemical Engineering. It addresses the longstanding challenge of detecting molecules in air as effectively as in liquids. Jingcheng Ma, the first author of the study and now an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, explained that while we have technology to capture images and audio with cell phones, similar advancements have not been made for analyzing air chemistry.
To tackle this issue, the scientists developed a system that turns air into liquid by using a pump to draw in air, a humidifier to add water vapor, and a cooling system to condense the air into droplets. These droplets contain suspended particles which can then be analyzed using existing equipment designed for liquid detection.
The initial inspiration came from Professor Tian's visit to the Stephen Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UChicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital. Professor Erika Claud expressed hope for non-invasive testing on premature infants: “The promise of this technology is that we will be able to non-invasively track newly identified biomarkers...”
Further uses are anticipated but identifying specific airborne molecules remains a challenge. Researchers are working on cataloging potential markers and refining the device's design for further miniaturization.
University of Chicago scientists Megan Laune, Pengju Li, Jing Lu, Jiping Yue, Yueyue Yu, Jessica Cleary, Kaitlyn Oliphant, and Zachary Kessler also contributed to this study. They are collaborating with entities like the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The research received funding from various sources including the U.S. Army Research Office and institutions like the University of Chicago and Notre Dame.
Citation: “Airborne biomarker localization engine for open-air point-of-care detection.” Ma et al., Nature Chemical Engineering, May 21, 2025.