Description du projet
Des pompes microfluidiques innovantes pour le diagnostic sur le lieu d’intervention
Les protocoles de diagnostic nécessitent souvent des échantillons de plasma sanguin qui, en petites quantités, constituent un moyen rapide et efficace de diagnostiquer les maladies. Le projet MagElastic, financé par l’UE, vise à développer des dispositifs de soins de santé innovants qui amélioreront le processus d’extraction et de traitement du plasma sanguin pour les diagnostics sur le lieu d’intervention. La technologie utilisée est basée sur des micromoteurs magnéto-élastiques récemment développés. Ceux-ci peuvent fonctionner comme des pompes, des valves et des agitateurs microfluidiques pour la manipulation de liquides à l’échelle microscopique. L’objectif global est de créer une jeune entreprise pour développer un composant de séparation du plasma sanguin, permettant la production d’une gamme de dispositifs sur le lieu d’intervention pour le diagnostic de différentes maladies.
Objectif
The aim of MagElastic is to turn into a “ready for market” technology an innovation based on magnetoelastic micromotors, which was recently developed by FET-OPEN consortium ABIOMATER. It was demonstrated that such micromotors can function as microfluidic pumps, valves and stirrers, to manipulate liquids at microscopic scale. These properties show high potential in point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, since they allow for minimal volume of sample extraction, instantaneous application, and no reliance on the medical expertise or laboratory tools. The main objective of MagElastic is to set up a start-up/spin-off company for commercialising a blood plasma separation component which will enable to produce a range of point-of-care devices for diagnosis of many known illnesses. With only a prick of blood such a component can help saving a significant amount of time and costs, which are currently being lost in the necessity of involving specialised equipment and staff support to extract blood plasma. Because of it’s time efficiency, in some cases (such as Sepsis described below), such devices will allow to save lives. MagElastic will bring the current technology from TRL5/6 to TRL7 by engaging with early adopters that will test the new device in operational environment. Moreover MagElastic will pave the way for the commercialisation of the new device by meeting with potential customers, clients and commercial partners and facilitating access to potential investors. During the project, the University of Exeter and Platform Kinetics, owners of the results of the undergoing FET-OPEN project, will be supported by META Group, an experienced partner in exploitation of research results and access to investors.
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CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinateur
EX4 4QJ Exeter
Royaume-Uni