Cantilevers for diagnosing disease

This tiny device, developed by researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology, could soon help carry out difficult medical diagnoses.

The tiny rods, or ‘cantilevers’, are coated with molecules similar to those in our cells, which have been made sensitive to various diseases. In their work, the team have successfully made coatings which react with molecules that are part of HIV, the antibiotic Vancomycin, and blood anti-clotting factors (for haemophilia).

When in the presence of one of these molecules, the cantilever bends (as seen above), revealing the diagnosis.

• Read more about the research