The quantitative detection of specific antibodies in complex samples such as blood can provide information on many different diseases but usually requires a complicated laboratory procedure. A new method for the rapid, inexpensive, yet quantitative and specific point-of-care detection of antibodies has now been introduced in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition by an Italian research team. It uses an electrochemical cell-free biosensor that can directly detect antibodies against diseases such as influenza in blood serum.
