Grant: Idea to Innovation
Toronto Metropolitan University
$125,000.00
Handheld photoacoustic scanner for the rapid assessment of blood quality in stored blood bags
FY 2024-25
Summary
The proposed project aims to develop a handheld blood bag scanner to assess the quality of blood stored in blood bags utilizing photoacoustic technology. Blood is stored in blood bags for up to 42 days. As stored blood ages, it degrades via biochemical, structural, and functional changes, which can significantly impact its efficacy and safety when used for transfusions. A method to evaluate the blood quality non-destructively does not exist; current methods for evaluating blood quality rely on storage time as an indicator, which is not an accurate measure. Our objective is to provide a solution that enables medical professionals to quickly and non-invasively determine stored blood quality using a compact handheld scanner that would work like a price checker at a grocery store. The world is experiencing a global blood shortage crisis; this device would help alleviate this crisis by reducing blood waste, enabling clinicians to choose blood that is better suited for their patients and increasing the shelf life of donated blood past the regulated 42 days.
Program
Idea to Innovation
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
592673-2024
Name nom
Kolios, Michael C
Department département
Physics
Organization id
43
Institution établissement
Toronto Metropolitan University
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2024
Competition year année de concours
2024
Award amount
125000
Program id
I2IPJ
Program name en
Idea to Innovation
Program name fr
De l'idée à l'innovation
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1102
Area of application group en
Health, education and social services
Area of application group fr
Santé publique, éducation et services sociaux
Area of application en
Biomedical engineering
Area of application fr
Génie biomédical
Research subject code
1901
Research subject group en
Biomedical engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie biomédical
Research subject en
Biomedical technology
Research subject fr
Technologie biomédicale
Field of research list names en
Not available
Field of research list names fr
Non disponible
Socioeconomic objective list names en
Not available
Socioeconomic objective list names fr
Non disponible
Application title
Handheld photoacoustic scanner for the rapid assessment of blood quality in stored blood bags
Keywords
blood bag analysis; photoacoustics; red blood cells; spectral analysis
Application summary
The proposed project aims to develop a handheld blood bag scanner to assess the quality of blood stored in blood bags utilizing photoacoustic technology. Blood is stored in blood bags for up to 42 days. As stored blood ages, it degrades via biochemical, structural, and functional changes, which can significantly impact its efficacy and safety when used for transfusions. A method to evaluate the blood quality non-destructively does not exist; current methods for evaluating blood quality rely on storage time as an indicator, which is not an accurate measure. Our objective is to provide a solution that enables medical professionals to quickly and non-invasively determine stored blood quality using a compact handheld scanner that would work like a price checker at a grocery store. The world is experiencing a global blood shortage crisis; this device would help alleviate this crisis by reducing blood waste, enabling clinicians to choose blood that is better suited for their patients and increasing the shelf life of donated blood past the regulated 42 days.
