Swallowable nanosensors that detect colorectal cancer from your breath
Engineering ingestible nanosensors for breath-based detection of colorectal cancer
This project is creating tiny swallowable sensors that produce breath markers to help spot early colorectal cancer in people due for screening.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300948 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would swallow a tiny engineered sensor that senses enzymes linked to early tumor growth in the intestine. When those enzymes are present, the sensor creates an amplified chemical signal that shows up in the breath. The team will refine the sensor design, test safety and sensing in the lab and animal models, and develop ways to reliably read the breath signal. The long-term goal is a non-invasive test that could increase screening by avoiding an initial colonoscopy for many people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who are due for colorectal cancer screening or who have higher-than-average risk (for example, family history or prior polyps) would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with already-advanced colorectal cancer, those who cannot swallow capsules safely, or individuals unable to provide breath samples would likely not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a simple, non-invasive breath test to find colorectal cancer earlier and improve screening adherence.
How similar studies have performed: Related work on breath biomarkers and ingestible devices has shown promise in early laboratory and animal studies, but using swallowable nanosensors to produce breath markers for early colorectal cancer in humans remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chan, Leslie — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Chan, Leslie
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.