A new form of nanocrystals called "τ-Dots." could give scientists the ability to screen for cancer as well as used to detect counterfeit drugs in a person's system, according to a research journal from Macquarie University.

The paper, which appeared in Nature Photonics and is called Tunable lifetime multiplexing using luminescent nanocrystals" was written by Yiqing Lu and ARC Future Fellow Doctor Dayong Jin of Macquarie University. The two scientists believe that the nanocrystals will be able to noninvasively detect cancer cells, check for invisible coding to identify counterfeit drugs, and even give a pathogen screening for infections found in the body. All these tasks are possible due to the τ-Dots' flexibility, according to Lu:

"This extra dimension offers an exponential boost in the total number of potential combinations, which can be used for multiple medical tasks or diagnoses simultaneously,"

Jin further explains how these nanocrystals work and are able to identify objects at a microscopic level within the human body:

"These nanocrystals can form combination codes, like barcodes, to form a vast library of distinguishable molecular probes, which can be used for complex diagnostics. Screening tests can more quickly and accurately identify the cause of infection, residue cancers at an early stage, and locate the specific molecular targets for targeted drug therapies."

This will be useful to scientists and doctors, especially in so-called "high noise areas" of the human body. These areas of high activity can make it hard for a doctor to find uncommon or foreign material within them, but thanks to the nanocrystal's flexibility and multiple uses doctors may have a new advantage for checking these parts of the body for health defects.

Identifying counterfeit drugs in a person's system is slightly different, but Lu explains how the τ-Dots unique marker system allows for this process to happen:

"Our ability to layer the τ-Dots' lifetimes enables higher density storage than was previously possible. We can also protect the data by codifying the τ-Dots until they are essentially impossible to crack...By applying τ-Dots to any surface, we can leave a secret message or mark on any product, which will only be revealed by a specially designed scanner. This has huge potential in confirming the authenticity of any product, from pharmaceutical drugs to medical courier supplies."
No timetable was discussed as to when these remarkable little nanocrystals will be ready for use, but when they do become available they will represent a new future for doctors around the world.