Shrimp's Eye: A Weapon Against Cancer

A research by the University of Queensland has found shrimps' eyes could be used in cancer-diagnostic cameras. The shrimps are known to have unique vision which can detect polarised light.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the detection of polarised light by the shrimp could be mimicked to detect the cancer causing cells. It is said that using shrimps' eyes for a model for a new camera technology could provide diagnostic benefits.

Currently, cancer is detected only by regular health check-ups and self examination, wrote Medicinenet.com. A colonoscopy or mammogram is being done to help patients detect cancer.

Professor Justin Marshall from Queensland Brain Institute of the University of Queensland is a Doctor of Philosophy in Neurobiology from the University of Sussex, Brighton, in 1991 and has been researching vision in mantis shrimps. Professor Marshall described his professional life as trying to get into the head of another animal(the shrimp, in this case).

He said the polarised light was reflected differently by the cancerous tissue which was around the healthy tissue. He added that the polarisation contrasts should be looked for by the new camera technology. The cancerous cells could be detected easily as the contrast in polarisation suggest that the cells are cancerous.

Professor Justin continued that they could learn from nature's engineering as the animals have a different view of the world than the humans and this could be the evolution of systems. Tapping into the system of the animals could help improve technology in different areas. He said that they thought about animals having a different view only after looking through a camera with a polarising filter.

He explained that humans are a colour-vision animal as they see things in colour while the other animals also see similarly but due to polarisation. He added that it was like 'seeing the invisible' as it was important for potential diagnosis.

Human pre-conceptions about evolutionary superiority seemed to be challenged by the vision of the shrimps as humans think that they are the pinnacle of evolution. But this does not seem to be the case as the animals have access to lots of information which isn't available to the humans, said Professor Justin. Justin has hoped that the findings of the research could help in using smartphones to self-monitor for the dangerous disease, cancer, reported 4bc Blog.

The Queensland Brain Institute was working with researchers from Washington University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Bristol. The research has been published in the journal, IEEE.