A TECHNOLOGY company is developing a miniaturised machine that can “sniff” a patient’s hand to discover whether they have MRSA.

Analytical Nanotechnologies (ANTnano), based in Netpark, Sedgefield, County Durham, has received funding from the Singapore government to develop the system.

Following a joint application with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, the company has been awarded a Singapore $200,000 (£79,000) grant by the country’s Economic Development Board (EDB).

It will allow the company to produce a miniaturised version of its air analysing machines.

This will make them practical for everyday use, for example on the wall of a hospital ward where they could be used to detect bacteria and viruses, such as MRSA. The aim is to provide medical establishments, such as hospitals and doctor’s surgeries, with cost-effective, real-time early warning systems.

The technology, which will be researched and developed over the next 18 months to two years, could eventually be fine-tuned to detect lung diseases, such as TB, and cancer from a patient’s breath.

Dr Allan Syms, ANTnano’s chief executive, said: “The machine would suck air off your hands and detect whether you had MRSA. For example, you could have a hand drier and sink at an entry to the ward and once you have washed them it is sniffing your hands to see whether you have traces of MRSA.

“There is nothing like this anywhere in the world. This is groundbreaking research coming out of a collaboration with NTU and reflects how well the relationship is going.” The funding follows the awarding, in August, of an indicative grant award of Singapore $10m (£3.7m) from the EDB of Singapore for ANTnano to set up research facilities in the country.

The company, which employs 20 people in Sedgefield, Sunderland and Singapore, develops equipment for detecting biochemicals and chemicals. Its “sniffer” machines are capable of detecting explosives, as well as diseases and airborn contaminates, such as bird flu.