Adding to another golden feather to the name of Indian institute of technology, Guwahati (IITG), a team of researchers at the institute has developed a portable device to detect bacteria without cell culture or microbiological test.

The researchers involved in developing the mechanism said that the hand-held device, with bio-compatible sensor can also diagnose time-critical illnesses such as meningitis.

It may be noted that with bacterial infection being one of the common cause of mortality across the globe, the current detecting techniques are time-consuming and cells derived from a patient are cultured or grown in laboratories to detect and microanalyse bacteria.

However, the new portable device, which is like those used for monitoring blood sugar levels, can instantaneously detect the charges on the cell walls of bacteria.

It has also been informed that the team work has been recently patented as well as published in the July 2019 issue of 'Journal of Materials Chemistry of the Royal Society of Chemistry'.

(Featured Image: NDTV)