Revolutionary advancements in DNA origami nanotechnology are transforming breast cancer detection
Guest editorial features key takeaways from Balancing the Future Podcast, episode 9, by METTLER TOLEDO
18 Nov 2025
Ivana Domljanovic from the University of Fribourg
In this episode of METTLER TOLEDO’s award-winning podcast 'Balancing the Future,' hosts Dana Clemençon and Micah Schweitzer delve into revolutionary advancements in breast cancer screening and monitoring with researcher Ivana Domljanovic from the University of Fribourg.
As breast cancer remains one of the most common and deadly cancers among women, the need for more effective monitoring and screening methods is urgent. Ivana shares her groundbreaking work using nanotechnology and microRNAs to develop a point-of-care device that aims to enhance early detection and patient monitoring. Traditional methods like mammograms, while beneficial, can be uncomfortable and sometimes yield false positives, highlighting the need for innovation in this space.
Listen to Balancing the Future Podcast, Episode 9, by METTLER TOLEDO on your favorite streaming platform: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
Read on to hear highlights from the conversation
This episode of Balancing the Future explores an innovative and potentially transformative breast cancer screening technology developed using DNA origami nanotechnology. Breast cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers globally, with over 2.3 million new cases diagnosed annually. Although current screening methods like mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, and biopsies are effective, they have significant drawbacks such as discomfort, expense, radiation exposure, limited sensitivity, and false positives.
The discussed technology, led by postdoctoral researcher Ivana Domanovic at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, aims to overcome these limitations by detecting specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in blood samples. These small molecules regulate gene expression and are known to be dysregulated in cancer, making them promising biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of breast cancer.
Breast cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers globally, with over 2.3 million new cases diagnosed annually.
Ivana’s work uses DNA origami to construct nanoscale sensors capable of identifying miRNAs with high precision, generating fluorescent signals measurable by relatively simple optical devices. This approach promises a safe, affordable, and accessible point-of-care test that could replace or complement current screening techniques and enable real-time monitoring of patient responses to therapy. Unlike current multi-step and costly procedures like NGS, qPCR, or microarrays, this technology offers a single-step, rapid, and scalable solution.
What I would really love to do is to develop this technology into a point-of-care device that will be affordable and accessible to everyone, especially in parts of the world where there is limited access to expensive screening methods.
Ivana Domljanovic University of Fribourg
The episode also touches on the broader implications of this technology, including its potential application to other cancers and diseases like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular conditions. Ivana envisions a future where such tests could be integrated into routine blood panels and eventually adapted for home use, possibly even utilizing saliva samples. The conversation highlights the challenges ahead, such as further research, clinical validation, and commercial scaling, but emphasizes the excitement around this cutting-edge innovation.
Listen to Balancing the Future Podcast, Episode 9, by METTLER TOLEDO on your favorite streaming platform: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.