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Researchers combine polarized light and a magnetic field to spot malaria under the microscope
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21 April 2026
Researchers combine polarized light and a magnetic field to spot malaria under the microscope
Label-free approach enables faster, more objective detection of malaria parasites in blood while also providing quantitative information
WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a new microscopy method that uses a magnetic field and polarized light to provide quantitative measurements that could enable faster and more objective detection of malaria in blood.
Caption
: The magnetic field causes malaria-related hemozoin crystals to rotate and align in a preferred direction, changing how they interact with polarized light and producing measurable shifts in image intensity and contrast.
Credit
: Dickson Mwenda Kinyua, Kirinyaga University
Malaria, caused by
Plasmodium
parasites transmitted by mosquitoes, infects over 200 million people around the world each year, causing more than 600,000 deaths. Faster, more objective detection methods are needed to improve diagnosis, guide treatment and enable large-scale screening, especially in low-resource settings.
“Our method doesn’t require expert interpretation and works without needing to stain or chemically treat the sample, making testing more accessible and easier to perform consistently,” said research Dickson Mwenda Kinyua from
Kirinyaga University
in Kenya, who performed this work in collaboration with Pietro Cicuta’s research team at the
University of Cambridge
. “This could lead to earlier detection, better treatment decisions and ultimately better health outcomes.”
In the Optica Publishing Group journal
Biomedical Optics Express
, the researchers describe the new  detection technique that leverages the unique properties of hemozoin, a crystal that malaria parasites naturally produce inside red blood cells. Laboratory tests performed on malaria-infected samples showed that the method can detect and quantify malaria-related signals.
“Our method not only makes it possible to see malaria but also allows more precise measurements and the potential to map its location in the sample,” said Kinyua. “This quantitative information could be very useful in laboratories and hospitals where it could provide faster, more consistent and sensitive diagnosis. It could also make it possible to develop automated approaches for diagnosis.”
Magneto-optical malaria detection
Although microscopy is already widely used for malaria detection, it typically requires time-consuming sample preparation, and the results are not always clear.
To make microscopy more objective and easier to use, the researchers used the hemozoin crystals produced by the malaria parasite when it digests hemoglobin inside red blood cells.
These crystals are magnetically anisotropic and exhibit optical dichroism, meaning they tend to align in a magnetic field and interact with light differently depending on their orientation.
“Earlier magneto-optical approaches typically provided bulk information about the sample, which can hide important details,” said Kinyua. “With our method, we can detect not only how strong the signal is, but also exactly where it is coming from within the sample. This is all done using relatively simple and accessible components.”
Caption
: Magnetic field-enhanced alignment and detection of hemozoin in lysed infected red blood cells using polarizing microscopy
Credit
: Dickson Mwenda Kinyua, Kirinyaga University
The new method involves placing a blood sample under a polarizing microscope and then applying a controlled magnetic field. The magnetic field causes any hemozoin crystals present to rotate and align in a preferred direction, changing how they interact with polarized light and producing measurable shifts in image intensity and contrast.
The researchers then apply ratiometric intensity analysis — comparing image intensity before and after magnetic alignment — along with threshold-based segmentation to measure the magneto-optical signal. This makes it possible to link the signal strength to hemozoin concentration, providing quantitative information.
Testing on blood samples
The researchers tested the approach by imaging blood samples with and without malaria under a polarizing microscope while applying a magnetic field. The results showed a consistent signal that linearly correlated with the amount of hemozoin present, demonstrating that the method can reliably detect and quantify malaria-related signals.
Next, the researchers plan to move from controlled lab experiments to clinical trials. This will involve testing the system on a wider range of patient samples and comparing its performance directly with standard diagnostic methods. They are also working to make the system simpler, faster and easier to use. They also want to combine it with image analysis and machine learning to reduce the need for expert interpretation and improve consistency.
Paper:
D. M. Kinyua, J. Kotar, P. Cicuta “Magneto-optical microscopy platform for quantitative imaging of hemozoin in blood for malaria diagnosis,”
Biomed. Opt. Express,
17, 2523-2532 (2026).
DOI:
10.1364/BOE.586641
About Optica Publishing Group
Optica Publishing Group
is a division of the society,
Optica
, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed and most-cited content in optics and photonics, including 19 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers and videos from over 1200 conferences. With over 525,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, its publications portfolio represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.
About Biomedical Optics Express
Biomedical Optics Express
serves the biomedical optics community with rapid, open-access, peer-reviewed papers related to optics, photonics and imaging in biomedicine. The journal scope encompasses fundamental research, technology development, biomedical studies and clinical applications. It is published monthly by Optica Publishing Group and edited by Ruikang (Ricky) Wang, University of Washington, USA. For more information, visit
Biomedical Optics Express
Media Contact
mediarelations@optica.org
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