Scientists at the University of Bern, Switzerland, have developed a novel test that can reliably provide diagnosis of skin allergies without pain and other complications. The findings of the development research,  published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, pointed out that skin tests in use currently have been unpleasant, time-consuming and associated with a certain risk of triggering an allergic overreaction. The new test – a new in vitro cell culture which, with the help of a few molecular biological techniques, can generate almost any desired number of mature mast cells within a few days. “Another important advantage of this novel test is that it works with serum, is very stable and can be stored frozen for a long time. It also allows retrospective tests and studies. In contrast, other comparable tests use whole blood, which cannot be stored and must be processed within hours,” quipped  Alexander Eggel, lead author of the study.