730073Integrated sample Processing SystemsClosedLegacy RDA Grant for R&DInnovate UKThe Integrated Processing System (IPS) project aims to develop a portable, disposable modular sample processing system to pre-production level. The system is intended to be deployed in locations where the laboratory facilities required to process biological samples for analysis do not exist, such as at crime scenes, factories and in environmental monitoring activities. The concept allows rapid diagnosis to be delivered at tQ,@,point of care without the need for highly qualified operators, saving both time and valuable human resources. The project shall deliver a functional pre-production prototype of the IPS along with supporting documentation concerning the design process, the procurement and assembly of the prototype and the testing performed on the prototype. The pre-production prototype shall be designed for mass manufacture and marketing to the intended sector and shall be used to prove the manufacturability of the system, to develop the process modules and as a firmware development platform for the production models. This technology will allow organisations that currently use out-sourced laboratory analysis to streamline the analysis process, and to reduce the risk of human error. The risk of sample contamination shall also be greatly reduced due to the sterile nature of the device, and the risk of the operator being exposed to otentially hazardous material is reduced as the entire process is contained and automated. The adoption of this technology by forensics teams and environmental monitoring organisations would enable greater confidence to be placed in the integrity of a given sample, as full process traceability is integral to the operation of the device. The small format also allows the device to produce results at the point of care or at the arrest scene, allowing swifter action to be taken. The project is budgeted to cost £406,000 (APPENDIX C) over a period of eighteen months. The project work shall be completed at Magna Parva premises in Leicestershire, with The University of Leicester included as technology partners in this proposal as their experience and expertise will be called upon during the development of the processing and analysis echanisms. The IP associated with the LMC project (from which the IPS technology is derived) is shared equally between Magna Parva and the University of Leicester. Comac Engineering are experienced subcontract machinists based in the East Midlands. This company shall perform general manufacturing tasks as required by Magna Parva Ltd. Work requiring a high degree of precision shall be handled by CECA (Centre of Excellence in Customised Assembly) at the University of Nottingham. Magna Parva maintains links with this organisation through various projects, and through the steering committee; of which our Commercial Director is a member. CECA shall also be consulted in connection with the manufacturing design of the pre-production prototype. In the absence of a suitable grant, this work would not proceed. The company books reflect a stable business with sufficient cash reserves to pay outright for the project, however this is a by product of being a high-risk project orientated company that requires a large cash buffer to absorb peaks and troughs in the project cycles and cannot be used extensively for product development. Additional funding was sought through traditional lending; this however in the current climate is not possible.