The overall objective of this SBIR project is to design, develope, and construct a fully disposable plasmapheresis device that will offer superior performance, reduction in costs and increase safety for both clinicians and patient. Preliminary investigations of blood separation using packed columns have shown potential for improving clinical plasmapheresis by concentrating red blood cells with low energy and with a very simple apparatus. The significance of this Phase I proposal is the opportunity to study and apply packed bed sedimentation techniques to achieve the design parameters for a blood separation device that will operate at 300 to 500 gravities. Packed bed sedimentation also holds promise for more efficient deglycerolization of blood that has been frozen for long term storage. This technique when combined with a commercially available pressurized bag or an infusion pump, clinically approved for blood transport, would provide an inexpensive blood separation and delivery device that would decrease costs, improve safety and provide better performance.
