Technologies developed at Sandia National Laboratory may soon find their way into doctors’ offices with wearable microneedles http://share.sandia.gov/news/ resources/ news_releases/electrolyte_sensor/#VQySy47F9wt capable of continuously analyzing electrolyte levels.
The microneedle device has a lab-on-a-disk that can test a drop of blood for 64 different diseases in minutes and can selectively detect and painlessly measure electrolytes in the interstitial fluids that bathe skin cells
At a recent seminar for potential investors and licensees, Sandia bioscientists presented eight ready-to-license technologies in three key areas such as medical diagnostics, biosurveillance and therapeutics, and drug discovery. One technology presented referred to as the “DDID Pulsed Discharge Ionization Detector” is used as a wearable non-invasive device to provide pain free diagnostics drug delivery.
Attendees also at the seminar sessions learned about other new technologies such as BaDx, http://share.sandia.gov/ news/ resources/news_releases/badx/#.VQyPEY7F9wt an anthrax detector no larger than a credit card that works in place with no power, refrigerated storage or laboratory equipment.
Another new technology presented called SpinDx, http://ip.sandia.gov/technology/do/techID=82 a rapid multiplexed biodetector lab-on-a-chip is now seeking industry partners to license and commercialize the SpinDx technology.
Also, RapiDx presented at the seminar a portable microfluidic in vitro diagnostic instrument to use for cancer and infectious disease biomarkers in human biological samples, is currently licensed to Omstead Engineering to detect prostate cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and cancer of the head and neck.
Several other tools were presented to aid in biosurveillance such as an automated microliter-based digital microfluidic platform, a system for blood RNA preparation and a miniature detector for breath analysis.
Several companies and groups are providing commercialization know-how to help develop the technologies further. The groups working with Sandia are:
- Life Science Angels http://lifescienceangels.com, an angel investment group focusing on healthcare investing
- Tri-Valley Capital www.trivalleycapital.com, a California firm investing in start-up and established technology ventures
- I-GATE Innovation hub http://www.igateihub.org, a San Francisco Bay-area incubator specialized in growing technology start-ups
- Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group www.innovationtrivalley.org, a collaborative group of industry leaders building innovation in the eastern San Francisco Bay area
Go to http://ip.sandia.gov/category.do/categoryID=21 for more information on technologies available for licensing.