Feb. 18, 2009 For centuries, animals have been our first line of
defense against toxins. A canary in a coalmine served as a
living monitor for poisonous gases. Scientists used fish to test
for contaminants in our water. Even with modern advances,
though, it can take days to detect a fatal chemical or organism.
Until now. Working in the miniaturized world of nanotechnology,
Tel Aviv University researchers have made an enormous — and
humane — leap forward in the detection of pollutants. A team led
by Prof. Yosi Shacham-Diamand, vice-dean of TAU’s Faculty of
Engineering, has developed a nano-sized laboratory, complete
with a microscopic workbench, to measure water quality in real
time. Their “lab on a chip” is a breakthrough in the effort to
keep water safe from pollution and bioterrorist threats, pairing
biology with the cutting-edge capabilities of nanotechnology.
“We’ve developed a platform — essentially a micro-sized,
quarter-inch square 'lab' — employing genetically engineered
bacteria that light up when pr