Researchers create nanosensor to detect gut health biomarker

It produces a rapid optical readout within minutes.

Researchers from the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) developed a novel fluorescent nanosensor which can detect indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), an emerging biomarker linked to gut health and disease.

IPA is a metabolite produced by gut bacteria during the breakdown of dietary tryptophan, an amino acid essential for protein synthesis, that regulates inflammation and oxidative stress.

It has been associated with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease.

Using a fluorescence-based approach, the sensor produces a rapid optical readout within minutes, distinguishing IPA for accurate detection even in complex biological environments.

The nanosensor operates in a visible fluorescence mode and a near-infrared mode, with wavelengths that can penetrate deeper into tissues.

The near-infrared capability allows the technology to be adapted for in vivo applications and integration into wearable devices for home-based testing or continuous monitoring.

Clinicians from the National University Hospital (NUH) and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) also contributed to the research.