710608SAW Diagnostic DevicesClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKSAW Dx Ltd is an emerging point of care (POC) diagnostic device design and manufacturing company using proprietary innovations around surface acoustic waves (SAW) for rapid medical diagnostics. It utilises the interaction of the SAWs with a patient samples to perform a variety of processing steps, including cell lysis, enrichment, DNA amplification, reagent dispensation and sensing. The interactions are controlled by microstructures patterned on the surface of disposable chips, to shape the acoustic fields in particular ways. This project will further the ambition of SAW Dx to meet the growing demand for POC tests for sexually transmitted infections. Currently the Centers for Disease Control estimate >20M new STIs every year, in the US alone. We propose that our Acoustic-Flow technology will form the basis of a rapid nucleic acid test (NAT) for STIs and reach into other POC diagnostics markets (including e.g. tuberculosis and HCV). Our Acoustic-Flow technology uses microstructures patterned into the surface of a disposable chip, which acts as ‘acoustic holograms’ and shapes the sound in particular ways to deliver different functions on a single device. This project will further our current capability to perform discrete sample processing steps and enable us to integrate sample acquisition to manipulate the diagnostic sample (e.g. from patient sample) and drive a diagnostic test to a read-out. The approach will remove the need for sample preparation steps the sample entering into the test device. The outcome will be a chip which can be used with virtually no training, making sample to result a seamless and simple process. This project will demonstrate that we can provide results in a rapid assay within 30 min at the POC, enabling immediate treatment in areas of infection and emergency care. Our future ambitions will see our platform being adopted by a number of healthcare markets as the simplicity of it’s use lends itself to cross platform compatibility.