Diagnosing diseases can be tough, and for doctors in developing nations who lack standard diagnostic equipment it can feel impossible.
That's why Michael Serpe, a researcher at the University of Alberta, says advancements in diagnostic technologies, are a necessity.
"Typically a problem with diagnosing a disease is getting a patient to the clinic for a diagnosis," he said. "So if you can do the diagnosis on site and the patient does not have to move you can really make an impact on the developing world and really save lives.
"Giving those in developing countries the ability to diagnose on site as opposed to having them going to a hospital can save many, many lives."
Serpe hopes to do this by developing polymer-based test strips capable of diagnosing a patient by simply changing colour when exposed to the patients bodily fluid, like a pregnancy test for diseases, he said.
For the full story and a short video, visit the Edmonton Sun.