A New Test for Malaria, No Blood Required

IIE- Scholar Rescue Fund alumnus Dmitri O. Lapotko was featured in the New York Times for his groundbreaking work in developing a new test that could revolutionize malaria diagnosis. The new bloodless malaria test uses laser pulses to detect the disease at an early stage. According to Lapotko, the device has the potential to screen one person every 20 seconds for less than 50 cents each and would be rugged enough to work in dusty villages. Clinical trials will begin in a few weeks. Lapotko, who studied laser weapons in his native Belarus, was granted an IIE-SRF award in 2007 and began his fellowship in the Biochemistry and Cell Biology Departments at Rice University. He remains a faculty fellow at Rice, where he is part of a team of researchers.