Masters student Anthony Yong (Wheeler Group) is the recipient of a 2021 Trainee Award from TRANSFORM HF. These awards support master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral level research that explores novel and multi-disciplinary approaches to heart failure care in co-creation with patient or community partners.
Diagnosis of heart failure can require large volumes of blood tested at centralized laboratories. In many clinics and hospitals in remote areas, limited access to such laboratories can delay diagnosis. One potential solution is digital microfluidic (DMF) technology — credit card-sized devices that miniaturize laboratory procedures. Using just a pinprick of blood, DMF could perform onsite analysis and rapidly deliver diagnostic information to healthcare providers.
Anthony will be developing a DMF-based platform that will provide off-site clinicians with an overview of a patient’s cardiovascular health. The final phase of this research will include field-testing the device with patients in Northern Ontario.