Bengaluru scientists build smartphone tool to spot Alzheimer's early

Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru have developed a portable, low-cost diagnostic system for Alzheimer's disease that works with a smartphone.

The platform, named ADxFluor, uses a tiny fluorescent molecule called TZ-48 to detect amyloid-beta (Aβ) — a protein fragment whose abnormal clumping in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's. When TZ-48 binds to Aβ fibrils, its fluorescence changes in a way that can be captured and quantified by a dedicated smartphone application.

Alzheimer's is a progressive neurodegenerative condition marked by memory loss and cognitive decline. The disease is driven by the misfolding and aggregation of Aβ into plaques, which trigger toxic cascades that damage neurons. According to the Department of Science and Technology, Aβ pathology is an early and disease-specific biomarker, making it a reliable target for diagnosis.

Conventional imaging methods such as PET and MRI are expensive and require specialised infrastructure, while existing blood-based assays for Aβ and tau are complex and costly. The JNCASR team's approach aims to overcome these barriers by offering a simple, sensitive, and scalable detection method.

The system measures fluorescence lifetime — a property largely independent of probe concentration and photobleaching — enabling robust and precise detection. The team, including Krithi K. Bhagavath, Madhu Ramesh, Yogendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mandal, Hiriyakkanavar Ila, and Thimmaiah Govindaraju, designed ADxFluor to work with serum samples, providing rapid and unbiased quantification of Aβ load.

Beyond Alzheimer's, the researchers say the platform could serve as a foundation for next-generation smart diagnostics for other neurodegenerative diseases.