At the TEDMED 2014 conference, medical device developers QuantuMDx Group announced the successful production of their first fully-integrated sample-to-result working prototype of Q-POC, a handheld lab that delivers your DNA-based medical diagnosis in minutes.
The Group believes the future of disease management and drug resistance monitoring is networked geo-stamped data, a functionality provided by the handheld Q-POC device. Rapid and low cost testing will enable continuous monitoring of disease and antimicrobial resistance throughout populations, as well as surveillance for emerging novel pathogen threats such as Ebola.
Thousands of Q-POC devices worldwide will use anonymized disease data to create an early warning system which will contribute to the prevention of pandemics, as well as the containment and management of drug resistance. This global network of devices will enable true personalized medicine at the individual level, and real-time public health at the national or global level.
This prototype brings the Group one step closer to realizing their vision, which they’ve named the Internet of Life.
Knowledge is Power
Q-POC inventor Jonathan O’Halloran said “The Internet revolutionized how we share knowledge, and the Internet of Things is changing how we interact with everyday objects. The Internet of Life will transform how we monitor and manage disease.
With genetic data at their fingertips, frontline healthworkers will be able to provide personalized healthcare, no matter where they are; public health officials will have the information they need to mobilize the right resources to the right place at the right time; researchers will be better equipped to monitor the efficacy of a disease intervention. Due for commercialization in 2016, Q-POC is the Bio-API that will make this possible by translating genetic code to binary.”
QuantuMDx at TEDMED 2014
QuantuMDx is participating in The Hive, an informal social environment featuring the innovative ideas that can transform health and medicine in conjunction with TEDMED 2014, the annual multi-disciplinary gathering where leaders from all sectors of society come together to explore the promise of technology and potential of human achievement in health and medicine.
CEO Elaine Warburton OBE said “It felt right to announce our ground-breaking prototype at TEDMED, with this year’s theme of unlocking imagination in health and medicine. Many said that our vision for Q-POC was impossible, and yet here we are, with a fully-integrated working prototype.”
“TEDMED is delighted to welcome this year’s selection of leading startups and entrepreneurs to The Hive, where we will be showcasing the most exciting innovations in health and medicine,” said TEDMED COO and Partner Shirley Bergin.
“All participants of The Hive will help drive TEDMED’s ongoing conversation about the best ways to accelerate medical progress and create a healthier life worldwide.”
Source: QuantuMDx press release, adapted. Q-POC, Bio-API and Internet of Life are trademark protected terms of QuantuMDx.