ELEVATE
A point-of-care diagnostic device designed for HPV screening, by successfully operating a super complex microfluidic ‘lab-on-a-chip’Preventative screening for hard-to-reach populations.
The overall goal of the project was to enhance screening coverage for cervical cancer, particularly for hard-to-reach women, either geographically, culturally or both. The point-of-care detection device is designed to identify HPV infections and biomarkers indicating cancer development, in women from different ethno-geographic origins and socioeconomic classes.Compact and portableThe solution is a portable, point-of-care HPV testing device that yields rapid, easy-to-understand results, without relying on trained medical personnel. The device is capable of completely automated detection of 14 HPV strains and 2 proteomic biomarkers, with the only end-user intervention being introduction of the self-sample swab. Able to obtain a patients’ result ‘while-you-wait’ the device provides quantitative information of each of the HPV strains and the proteins.
Compatible with self-samplingFor many women worldwide, cervical cancer screening is a time consuming and stressful event; it requires a visit to a health centre and a gynaecological examination, i.e. taking a cervical smear. This approach also requires trained professionals and lab equipment, which are often unavailable in resource limited countries. A more accessible test based on self-sampling could increase cervical cancer screening in isolated populations or low-income countries, but also among women in general who for a variety of reasons do not engage with screening programmes.
The Impact of screening and HPV vaccination
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, and the hard-to-reach populations in many countries are at a higher risk of developing the disease. Preventive screening programmes and vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) result in reduced cancer incidence and mortality.Comprehensive virus detection
The accuracy of HPV DNA tests in detecting high-risk infections that lead to cervical cancer is limited, especially across diverse ethnic and geographic populations. Advanced sequencing can improve detection by identifying genetic variations.- More precise detection
- Ethno-geographic adaptability
- High-risk HPV sequencing
- Genomic variation analysis
Identifying cancer progression
Accurately detecting HPV infections linked to cervical cancer requires more than DNA testing. Combining genetic and protein-based biomarkers increases diagnostic precision.- Dual biomarker detection
- Fewer misdiagnoses
- Early high-risk identification
- Timely intervention