Developing a lollipop to detect mouth cancer

Detecting cancer early saves lives.

But diagnosing mouth cancer is invasive, uncomfortable and can be inaccurate. We’re funding a project that could make the process far more palatable.

Together with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, we’re funding Dr Ruchi Gupta at the University of Birmingham to develop a flavoured ‘lollipop’ to detect mouth cancer at an earlier stage.

The lollipops will work by detecting the unique substances that cancer cells release in the saliva. They’ll be made from a smart material called a ‘hydrogel’, which acts like a net to ‘catch’ these proteins. Later, when a special light is shone on the hydrogel, it ‘releases’ caught proteins and scientists can check if they came from cancer cells.

Dr Gupta is working on making this process faster and more accurate. She and her team hope that in the future this technology could be expanded to detect other cancer types earlier, ultimately saving more lives.

Dr Ruchi Gupta

With support from Stand Up To Cancer, we’re hoping we can be the first to make a device that makes diagnosing mouth cancer kinder for patients and easier for GPs.

- Dr Ruchi Gupta

Researcher:

Dr Ruchi Gupta 

Location:

University of Birmingham 

Funding:

£360,413 

Dates:

April 2024 – August 2027