Context: Recently, a team from S.N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) has developed a ‘no-touch’ and painless device for non-invasive screening of bilirubin in new-borns. 

• The SNBNCBS, located in Kolkata, is an autonomous research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

About AJO-Neo

• AJO-Neo is a No-touch & Painless device for non-invasive screening of bilirubin level in new-borns.
• The device operates on non-contact and non-invasive spectrometry-based techniques.
• It is reliable in measuring bilirubin levels in preterm, and term neonates irrespective of gestational or postnatal age, sex, risk factors, feeding behaviour or skin colour.
• The device can give the test result in about 10 seconds compared to the conventional blood test, which can take up to 4 hours for report generation.
• The detection of neonatal blood bilirubin (Hyperbilirubinemia) faster is extremely important for therapeutic management in order to avoid Kernicterus leading to neuro-psychiatry problems in neonatal subjects.

About Bilirubin 

• It is an orange-yellow pigment that occurs normally when part of the red blood cells break down.
• If the bilirubin levels are abnormally high, it is an indication that the red blood cells are breaking down at unusual rates or that the liver is not breaking down waste properly and clearing the bilirubin from the blood.
• The bilirubin test measures the amount of bilirubin in the blood. It is used to find the cause of health conditions such as jaundice, liver disease and anaemia. The test is used to diagnose and monitor liver and bile duct diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis and gallstones.