MIT engineers unveil breath sensor that detects pneumonia biomarkers
A portable chip-scale device called PlasmoSniff aims to diagnose pneumonia and other lung conditions from a single exhaled breath.
What to know
- PlasmoSniff is a portable, chip-scale sensor that detects synthetic breath biomarkers of pneumonia, potentially replacing X-rays and lab waits with a minutes-long test.
- The technology builds on earlier mouse-model work from Sangeeta Bhatia's lab showing biomarkers could be detected via mass spectrometry, now made point-of-care with a compact sensor.
- Researchers plan to develop a handheld version for clinical or at-home use, though the current results are a lab demonstration published in Nano Letters.
“Our new PlasmoSniff technology would enable detection of these exhaled biomarkers within minutes at the point of care.”
Aditya Garg, MIT postdoc, study first author · MIT News · Mar 15
Aditya Garg Postdoc, MIT Department of Mechanical EngineeringLoza Tadesse Assistant professor of mechanical engineering, MIT
Sangeeta Bhatia Professor, MIT (Health Sciences and Technology / EECS)
The record 2 articles and posts · last 30 days
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- Aug 14
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MIT engineers have developed a test to detect disease-related compounds in a patient’s breath. The new test could provide a faster way to diagnose pneumonia and other lung conditions. Rather than sit for a chest X-ray or wait hours for a lab result, a patient may one day take a breath test and get a diagnosis within minutes. The new breath test is…
- Aug 13
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BREAKTHROUGH: MIT engineers develop a breath test that detects pneumonia in minutes no X-rays, no lab wait. Just a single breath Two MIT engineers, Loza Tadesse and Aditya Garg, have developed a breath test that can detect pneumonia in minutes. https:// news.mit.edu/2026/new-sensor-s niffs-out-pneumonia-patients-breath-0316