 
Ben-Gurion University researcher Alberto Bilenca, Ph.D., has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Dr. Bilenca has developed a fast, low-cost device to accurately diagnose malaria in the field without having to draw blood.
Dr. Bilenca is a member of BGU’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology.
Dr. Bilenca’s project is based on a standard camera cellphone and a red laser pointerthat can noninvasively obtain finger blood perfusion images in less than a second. The device creates images that detect malaria pigment  in the blood.
In contrast to commerciallyavailable malaria tests, this probe will avoid the need for blood collection, therefore maximizing medical safety, patient comfort and test rapidity.Â
Malaria causes approximately 1 million deaths per year throughout developing countries.
