When it comes to chronic lung disease, early detection and ongoing monitoring are key. But traditional methods like bronchoscopy are invasive, expensive and often impractical for follow-ups. That’s why Professor Åsa Wheelock and her team at Karolinska Institutet are turning to PExA, a non-invasive method that collects microscopic particles from the deep lungs—through a simple breathing maneuver.
“With PExA, you can ask patients to come back. That’s not the case with bronchoscopy,” says postdoc Martina Bonatti.
Martina leads the lab work on developing protocols for detecting microRNAs (miRNAs)—tiny molecules that regulate gene expression and show great promise as biomarkers. Despite the challenge of working with extremely low material volumes, her team recently became the first to detect miRNA using PExA.
“It’s like solving a complex puzzle,” says Martina. “But now we have a starting point—and that’s a breakthrough.”
PhD student Pia Lindberg is on the frontlines with research participants. As a trained emergency care nurse, she ensures participants master the unique PExA breathing technique—vital for consistent sample quality.
“It’s easy to use and explain. And unlike sputum sampling or bronchoscopy, participants find it comfortable and non-threatening,” says Pia.
Non-invasive, repeatable sampling
Access to deep lung biomarkers
Cost-effective compared to bronchoscopy
Enables longitudinal patient studies
Easy to use in outpatient or even primary care settings
The Karolinska team also praises their collaboration with the PExA development team.
“They listen. They evolve. That’s how PExA has improved so much,” says Åsa.
From RNA-compatible membranes to user-friendly interfaces, PExA AB has incorporated feedback from real-world users to make the device more powerful and accessible.
The Karolinska team sees PExA not just as a research tool, but as a gateway to personalized, preventive healthcare.
“We hope one day, just like a routine blood test, everyone will have baseline PExA data to detect lung disease early,” says Åsa.
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