William G Tong, Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at San Diego State University, says he has developed and invented new laser treatment that can help in early detection of cancer and Alzhiemer's.

“Novel laser methods that offer improvements in sensitivity and selectivity to levels previously thought impractical is now possible. The research has entered the second phase; we now have the prototype of the machine and instruments,” the professor told BusinessLine , adding that “we need experts to build them. We are not in volume manufacturing space yet.”

The professor was in the city at a day-long international conference on “Latest Developments in the Applications of Laser Technology” organised by the Department of Chemistry and Physics, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women.

Speaking on the sidelines of this conference, he said: “We are in the process of designing portable HPV (Human Papillomavirus) detectors, going to rural villages where women resist going to hospital and offer precision medicine at their doorstep. Incidentally, we are working on a number of individual projects at San Diego, which is the number one cluster for biotechnology in the US.”

Tong hinted at the possibility collaborating with the industry here on potential projects. “The country wants innovation economy and for that we need skilled workers,” he said, urging students and the faculty to look at furthering research collaboration.

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