OREANDA-NEWS. Scientists from Hong Kong have developed a cheap test system for antibodies to coronavirus infection. It is based on flexible organic transistors and allows you to get a result in five minutes after taking a blood or saliva sample. The results of the study are published in the journal Science Advances.

According to experts, the system is a set of flexible gold electrodes and organic electrochemical transistors covered with a set of molecules. They are similar in structure to the S-protein of the coronavirus and were arranged in such a way that the addition of antibodies to them affects how the transistor passes current. Due to flexible organic transistors, it is possible to accurately detect traces of antibodies to coronavirus in biological samples.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that the same approach can be applied to detect antibodies to any other pathogens. To do this, it is enough to apply a set of other proteins to the electrode, with which the antibodies will connect.