The team’s next challenge is to distinguish between the various types of kidney disease and identify their stages.

“Developing sensors that are sensitive enough to differentiate between the various stages of different kidney diseases will enable not just the diagnosis, but also the ability to monitor with great accuracy a patient’s response to medication and lifestyle changes,” said Prof. Abassi.

Large-scale research is already being carried out by Prof. Nakhoul, the director of the Ambulatory Nephrology Unit at Rambam Hospital to test the technology using breath samples from kidney disease patients. The researchers have registered a patent for the modification of the electronic nose for use in kidney research.

The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel's leading science and technology university. Home to the country's winners of the Nobel Prize in science, it commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine. The majority of the founders and managers of Israel's high-tech companies are alumni. Based in New York City, the American Technion Society (ATS) is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel, with offices around the country.

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