From sophisticated imaging tools to cancer-sniffing dogs, researchers are constantly seeking better ways to detect disease, which could lead to earlier and more effective treatment. In recent years, genetically manipulated bacteria seemed like promising indicators, but they never made it to the clinical setting because they couldn’t reliably distinguish important chemical signals in complex samples. Now, two research teams have engineered E. colibacteria to accurately detect the telltale chemical signs of diabetes and liver cancer in urine. The two studies were published today in Science Translational Medicine.
via Popular Science
