The objective of this project proposal is the development of a commercially viable diagnostic blood testing product that will meet the growing demand for practical near-patient testing. The product will be built on the lab-in-a-tube platform, which uses novel sample handling, microfluidic, and imaging technology to achieve system miniaturization, low cost, high flexibility, and improved safety. The successful commercialization of this product will improve public health by enabling caregivers to easily collect more information about a patient's condition. They will accomplish this by directly conducting blood tests on-site, during the patient's visit.lQuum proposes to continue the development of the lab-in-a-tube platform by designing and building prototypes of the three major components of the system: the desktop analyzer; the integrated sample collection and processing container, and the multiple-use, disposable reagent cartridge. The company will concurrently develop platelet function and coagulation assays as the first applications for the lab-in-a-tube system. The flexible detection and processing technology of the product enable the platform to conduct numerous types of tests, including blood typing, cell counting, and immunoassay. These assays will be developed separately and will showcase the full multifunction capability of the lab-in-a-tube system.
