Aydogan Ozcan on Mobile Diagnostics

Emily Qualey ( Bio  /   Posts )  |  Friday, September 17, 2010 UTC

UCLA professor Aydogan Ozcan has discovered how to convert cellphones into microscopes by relying on shadow imaging instead of expensive optics. In time, he told us, the ability to conduct tests and detect infectious diseases by leveraging mobile technologies in resource-poor settings could transform public health.

“This lets us do some extraordinary things,” Ozcan says. “We can diagnose sickle-cell anemia, count cell signatures based on their texture, get complete blood counts and detect bacteria like E. coli in water, potentially avoiding contamination.”

Aydogan was recently named one of PopTech’s inaugural 2010 Science Fellows. Field tests of the cell phone microscope began in Africa this past summer.

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