A team of researchers at the University of Toronto Engineering have developed a tiny "heater" - about the size of a pill - that could allow resource-limited regions around the world to test for infectious diseases without the need for specialized training or costly lab equipment. The technology regulates the temperature of biological samples through different stages of diagnostic testing, which is crucial to the accuracy of test results. "The precision and flexibility of our heater opens the door to a future of do-it-yourself diagnostic kits," says PhD candidate Pranav Kadhiresan, who developed the device alongside PhD candidate Buddhisha Udugama, under the supervision of Professor Warren Chan.
"We could combine the simplicity of a high school chemistry set with the precision of cutting-edge lab instruments," adds Kadhiresan. The technology behind the team's miniaturized heater…
