Engineering Blood Diagnostics: Integrated Platforms for Advanced Detection and Analysis
Lead Research Organisation:
Swansea University
Department Name: College of Engineering
Abstract
We propose a research platform which will explore and underpin the development of new, integrative diagnostics based on a comprehensive analysis of blood. The integration of rheological and cytometric measurements is essential to the understanding of blood as a sophisticated tissue system in which biological mechanisms, initiated and controlled by cells, interact with complex fluid dynamics. The aim is to provide an appropriate technological platform which will provide biomarkers for the detection and analysis of pathological or therapeutic modifications of blood. These research aims demand multi-disciplinary skills, significant crossover of staff between academic and clinical environments and high risk, exploratory science - all aspects appropriate to the underpinning support of a platform grant.
Planned Impact
The platform will deliver a new generation of medical diagnostics based on the measurement of blood samples. By pursuing integrative solutions for diagnosis of disease that view blood as a complex tissue we will deliver tests that are able to describe the complexity of disease as exhibited in blood properties and thus move forward to patient specific testing and treatment. The primary impact will be on healthcare as delivered through the NHS and our research will be conducted in partnership with a NHS laboratory at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. There will be wider, commercial opportunities and we will develop these through a cluster of Swansea university spin-out companies: Haemair, Haemometrics and Cellometry, that have been set up to provide a translation pathway for methodologies and metrologies based around blood and cell measurement.
Publications
Alyobi M
(2019)
Modifying the electrical properties of graphene by reversible point-ripple formation
in Carbon
Blasi T
(2016)
Label-free cell cycle analysis for high-throughput imaging flow cytometry.
in Nature communications
Curran S
(2022)
A quantitative and spatial analysis of cell cycle regulators during the fission yeast cycle.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Curtis D
(2019)
On response spectra and Kramers-Kronig relations in superposition rheometry
in Physics of Fluids
Del Giudice F
(2020)
Simultaneous measurement of rheological properties in a microfluidic rheometer
in Physics of Fluids
Del Giudice F
(2019)
Viscoelastic focusing of polydisperse particle suspensions in a straight circular microchannel
in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics
Hennig H
(2017)
An open-source solution for advanced imaging flow cytometry data analysis using machine learning.
in Methods (San Diego, Calif.)
Holder AJ
(2018)
Control of collagen gel mechanical properties through manipulation of gelation conditions near the sol-gel transition.
in Soft matter
Jessop ZM
(2019)
Printability of pulp derived crystal, fibril and blend nanocellulose-alginate bioinks for extrusion 3D bioprinting.
in Biofabrication
Lamer T
(2017)
The application of large amplitude oscillatory stress in a study of fully formed fibrin clots
in Physics of Fluids
Mei KC
(2018)
Protein-Corona-by-Design in 2D: A Reliable Platform to Decode Bio-Nano Interactions for the Next-Generation Quality-by-Design Nanomedicines.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Nettle CJ
(2018)
Linear rheology as a potential monitoring tool for sputum in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
in Biorheology
Ogunkeye A
(2023)
The effect of instrument inertia on the initiation of oscillatory flow in stress controlled rheometry
in Journal of Rheology
Piasecka J
(2019)
Diffusion Mapping of Eosinophil-Activation State
in Cytometry Part A
Rees P
(2022)
Imaging flow cytometry
in Nature Reviews Methods Primers
Rees P
(2019)
The origin of heterogeneous nanoparticle uptake by cells.
in Nature communications
Summers HD
(2021)
Data-Driven Modeling of the Cellular Pharmacokinetics of Degradable Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles.
in Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
Wills JW
(2021)
Inter-laboratory automation of the in vitro micronucleus assay using imaging flow cytometry and deep learning.
in Archives of toxicology
Wills JW
(2020)
Image-Based Cell Profiling Enables Quantitative Tissue Microscopy in Gastroenterology.
in Cytometry. Part A : the journal of the International Society for Analytical Cytology
| Description | We have uncovered the statistical relationships that describe the uptake of nanoparticles by biological cells. These allow us to predict the probability of particle-cell interaction and to simulate the nanoparticle dose at single cell level. |
| Exploitation Route | The mathematical tools we have outlined in our papers allow researchers to accurately predict nanoparticle dose in nanotoxicology and nanomedicine studies. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | EPSRC signposting call |
| Amount | £910,051 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/H008683/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2009 |
| End | 03/2014 |
| Description | I3S Porto |
| Organisation | University of Porto |
| Country | Portugal |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Interaction with the nanomedicine group led by Professor Ana-Paula Pego. Professors Summers and Rees (PI & CI on Blood diagnostics grant) now take part in an annual Bioimaging workshop, held in Porto every May. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supply of nanoparticle uptake data relating to nano-pharmaceutical drug delivery. Access to clinical studies using nanoparticle drug-delivery vehicles. |
| Impact | Paper published - https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102606 |
| Start Year | 2015 |