Research Forum

Around 30 percent of the population develop at least one allergy over the course of their lives – in some affected persons, this leads to severe reactions to medication, food, pollen, or skin flakes from animals. The funded project “Non-invasive allergy diagnostics with optical nanosensors” is setting out to develop a new method that analyzes allergies on the basis of blood samples. This project, headed by Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kruss, Bochum University, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is being funded with around €147,000 over a period of two years.

Allergies can greatly impair the quality of life of persons affected, and in some cases can even be life-threatening. Immune cells are activated in the body and release the messenger substance histamine, among others. Within a short time, this gives rise to changes in the blood vessels and the release of further messenger substances, which can trigger so-called anaphylactic shock.

For over a century, the so-called prick test has been used to diagnose an allergy, whereby the triggering substance is introduced into the skin via a small cut. If the reaction is positive, swelling and reddening of the skin can be observed. However, this method is not practicable for all substances, and testing on humans poses a risk.

There is no simple, quick, reliable, and inexpensive test currently available to detect an allergy or to quantify the success of a therapy in a low-risk, non-invasive manner.

The new funded project “Non-invasive allergy diagnostics with optical nanosensors” is setting out to provide a solution. The aim is to develop a new imaging method for the molecule histamine, which plays a central role in allergies. The key element of this technology comprises nanosensors based on carbon nanotubes. The histamine nanosensors are chemically modified in such a way as to bind the target molecules and modify their fluorescence in the near infrared range.

The release of histamine by one or more immune cells can be observed in a video, using the optical sensors as a time-varying “molecular cloud.” A simple blood sample is sufficient for examining the allergen contact. This innovative test procedure should enable a quantitative assessment of allergic reactions, thereby replacing the prick test currently used.