A group of Turkish scientists has developed a new device that scans cancer cells in 3D. Their innovation made the cover of the British Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Lab on a Chip.
The device costs only $200 and it is likely to make tailor-made cancer treatment possible.
Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) associate professor İsa Yıldırım, who led the team that developed the device, said they have applied for a patent. "This device can usher in a new age in cancer treatments," he said.
"Cancer is one of the diseases that the world of medicine is focusing on the most. Every year, millions of people lose their lives because of cancer. With Dr. Adem Polat, we have developed a device that can help us see cancer cells live. The device is actually a miniature tomography machine that allows 3D scanning. There are a number of devices similar to ours, but they cost millions of dollars. Our device costs only $200," Yıldırım said.
During their research, Yıldırım and his team worked on breast cancer cells and monitored how cells evolve over time. As their device allows them to monitor the evolution of cancer cells, it enables them to create a personalize treatment and see how the patient reacts to medicines in real time. "This means we can save many lives," Yıldırım added.
