Space cholesterol: A new testing technology
An activity with GSTP and Radisens Diagnostics in Ireland has developed a way of testing and analyzing blood in a space environment for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.
The objective of the Point of Care Diagnostics & Monitoring Platform – Key Enabling Technologies (POCDMP-KET) activity was to develop the vital technologies necessary to perform clinical tests on blood so that in the future it might have a direct application in a space environment. The activity will advance the proof of concept outputs from a previous ESA contract (No 4000110064) to deliver a standalone breadboard prototype.
The diagnostics device uses centrifugal technology to counteract the difficulties caused by microgravity during sample processing. The intent is that this could be used for standalone operation on board the Columbus European laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).
The activity required further development of six key technologies: the design for an integrated incubator and buffer reservoir, the method of cartridge loading and sample application, improving the plasma separation prototype as well as the development of dried reagents.
The breadboard includes cartridge consumables that use microfluidic control techniques to transfer the relevant sample and assay reagents to chambers at pre-determined times by a breadboard motor. The centrifugal forces of the liquids as the cartridge spins causes them to respond as if they were in a gravitational field which makes this technique directly applicable for a space environment. This allows the assay sequences/protocols to be software controlled and automated by the POCDMP-KET breadboard, from application of the clinical sample through to the automated generation of test results, using simplified operator steps.
GSTP activity G627-066MM closed last year.