Diagnostics are not always an easily accessible tool in healthcare. To improve access to high-quality diagnostics, the EU-funded Blink project developed a technology that puts the power of creation in more hands and diagnostic tools in reach of more patients.
Blink: German researchers innovate a new era in diagnostics
- 18 September 2019
The project enabled us to practically find out the best approach to decentralising diagnostic services and to lay the groundwork for Blink’s product pipeline.
Fast and accurate diagnostics is the key to personalised and effective medicine. Most developed countries, including Germany, have a dense network of service providers for conducting laboratory-based diagnostics. Typically, a doctor will send the sample to the service provider, who will analyse it and send the results back.
The problem with this system is that there is always some delay in diagnosis, and the findings are not generated in direct interaction between the physician and the patient. For a more individualised, immediate diagnosis, some doctors are turning to point-of-care (POC) tests, which can be administered by the physician, or at a hospital.
To increase the use of POC testing, the EU-funded Blink project developed a sustainable business in in vitro diagnostics by enabling quality diagnostics in any setting. The goal is to make POC and laboratory diagnostics more compatible with each other and to establish in vitro diagnostic tests as a regular tool in the practice of medicine.
Simplified assay design
The result of this work is Blink DX, a cross-analytical product platform to accelerate the creation of new diagnostic tests for different samples and disease conditions. The platform is designed to serve the diagnostic test development community through an open access development model.
According to project researchers, Blink’s technology allows for a high-quality, robust, and decentralised laboratory service provided via a single platform. For example, the Blink One product platform integrates multiple technology modules that support such functionalities as ultra-fast and precise temperature cycling, multi-colour fluorescence imaging, and liquid handling.
The project created generic disposable cartridges with integrated sample preparation processes and reagents. These are used as both development tools and sub-assemblies for final product set-up by Blink or its partners.
During the development process, the Blink One Analyser and the Blink One Cartridges are accessed through the Blink Toolbox, a software-based interface that supports the set-up of virtually any type of test assay.
Transforming medical care
Blink is well on its way to creating a holistic product platform for near patient use. As a direct result of its research and tools, the project has facilitated faster product development, lowered barriers to introducing new markers into clinical use, and reduced development and deployment costs.
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Platform concept for the point-of-care diagnosticsTotal investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of a novel technology and platform concept for point-of-care diagnostics” is EUR 3 600 625, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 2 000 000 through the “Thüringen” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Strengthening research infrastructure, technological development and innovation in enterprises and cooperation between enterprises and research organisations”.