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As a model organism, the 1 millimeter long roundworm C. elegans has been the main protagonist of many biological researches for many years. Now it turns out to be an instrument itself.
Detecting diseases such as cancer as early as possible can be vital for a patient. Only incipient tumors are not yet easy to detect with most methods. We already know that dogs with their great sense of smell can detect cancer in humans, a little worm also seems to have a nose for that.
The researchers investigated whether the worm C. elegans – known for its strong olfactory response – could detect lung cancer. They placed the creatures on a chip with two tunnels, one leading to healthy lung cells and the other to diseased cells, and saw that most of the worms crawled towards the cancer cells.
This method is not yet so precise that it can be put into practice, but the scientists think they are on to something. They hope to be able to train the worms even further and are studying exactly the odor molecules that attract them.
Read more: ‘Worm-on-a-chip’ device could one day help diagnose lung cancer†
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