Leon Dicks FRSSAf spearheads development of biological nanochip

The groundbreaking development of a biological nanochip that is able to identify bacterial infections within minutes of being swallowed was spearheaded by Professor Leon Dicks FRSSAf at the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Microbiology and Willie Perold of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.  For more information see Page 3 of the Cape Times of 24th July.
They developed a nanowire biological sensor that can identify disease-causing bacteria such as escherichia coli, salmonella or vibrio cholera within 15 minutes.
“In the not-too-distant future, this combination of nanotechnology and microbiology could make the diagnosis of patients during an epidemic or outbreak faster, more accurate and more affordable. This will enable doctors to immediately prescribe the correct antibiotic and by doing so, put less stress on the body’s immune system,” their research report said.