102339Magneto-optical multiplex diagnosticsClosedLaunchpadInnovate UKCotton Mouton Diagnostics (CMD) is a start-up company based in South Wales. CMD's vision is to deliver innovative, fit-for-purpose, point-of-care diagnostic technologies based upon a unique magneto-optical sensing mechanism. The technology has been successfully field-tested as a malaria diagnostic, relying on detection of a parasite-derived magnetic marker. CMD now seeks to harness the underlying principle of this sensing approach to transform the technology into a generic diagnostic platform, broadly applicable to any disease. In order to fully exploit the capabilities of the technology, and to meet the demands of the clinical and commercial arenas, CMD need to develop a system capable of simultaneous multi-analyte detection. This project will develop and demonstrate an innovative multiplexed platform based upon unique optical effects arising from the use of synthetic gold-coated nanorods as magnetic reporters. The initial application of the technology will be in the diagnosis of sepis; a condition that affects 20 - 30 million people worldwide each year and kills one person every few seconds.