Simplified laser fluorescence scanner for proteomics studies and early cancer diagnosis

A compact integral system was developed capable of quantitatively measuring analytes in biological fluids. This system uses the fluorescence as a reporter molecule to provide the information about the molecular density of the target molecule in the test sample. Developed for the purpose of providing an affordable means of fast point–of-care testing of marker molecules specifically arranged in the specimen, this system proved to be able to detect the presence of the marker agent at the level of 50 pg/ml in less than 15 minutes, with the actual measurement taking less than 1.5 minutes. The design concept for this unit is presented together with the result for a few representative samples.