Production of a portable, biodegradable flow cytometer for NHS Gwyntwr1386 Healthcare CIC - ISSN 2753-8176 (online) DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20918.78407

Production of a portable, biodegradable flow cytometer for NHS Gwyntwr1386 Healthcare CIC ISSN 2753-8176 (online) DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20918.78407 Ana Pedro1 1. Gwyntwr1386 Pharmacy, Regus Chester Business Park, Heronsway, Chester CH4 9QR, United Kingdom anapedrolaboratories@gmail.com In mammals, blood is composed by cells such as erythrocytes, leukocytes and thrombocytes and a fluid called plasma were different particles with important biological functions such as immunoglobulins, lipoproteins, or extracellular vesicles circulate (1-4). We propose the creation of a new portable, small flow cytometer composed of biodegradable and/or inert materials as possible. This new flow cytometer will be capable of analysing both cells and small particles present in blood or in other fluids and of providing a full blood cell count. This new flow cytometer (fig. 1) will be composed of a microfluidics silicone chip were is inserted a flow sheath (with sample loading point as well as waste collection but without the need of using flow sheath solution) and a nozzle (containing primary and secondary antibody solutions). This microfluidics silicone chip would be attached to small diode lasers (blue, green, red, violet), a miniature air pump, a small 20x microscope object (located after the flow sheath, similar to the Nanosight objective, allowing the detection of small particles), and to a group of small dichroic mirrors (made of fused silica) and micro-PMTs (FL1-FL4, SSC and FSC), all connected and commanded by any computer (USB connection) loaded with a specific flow cytometry software to be developed. We would just use biodegradable fluorochromes and flow sheath. Aims and Objectives To develop an environment-friendly portable new flow cytometer of the size of an external hard disk that can be used in any health centre or pharmacy or even at home or research lab and would be capable of a full blood cell count and/or of the simultaneous analysis of cells and particles. Will need: 1. a flow cytometry expert, 2. a software programmer, experts in biodegradable materials. After, the flow cytometer is developed we will need to test it for different types of analysis both for research and clinical laboratory analysis and we will need to accrue patients for the clinical trial(s) from different NHS settings. SWOT analysis • Strengths Lack of small, portable flow cytometers capable of full, detailed analysis. Need no expertise in the field of flow cytometry. A much cheaper flow cytometer for use by own consumers (patients) and also in detailed research of very small particles: £1067 against £40000 • Weaknesses Might be difficult to re-create some parts of the components of the flow cytometer with biodegradable or inert materials. Long legal way between production of this new flow cytometer and commercialization • Opportunities Lack of small, portable flow cytometers capable of full, detailed analysis • Threats Might be difficult to re-create some parts of the components of the flow cytometer with biodegradable or inert materials. Long legal way between production of this new flow cytometer and commercialization PESTLE analysis factors beyond your control, but possibly affording opportunities, and/or posing threats • Political – Covid-19 crisis • Economic - Covid-19 crisis • Social- Covid-19 crisis • Technological (need help from a flow cytometer manufacturer) • Legal (read above) • Environmental (read above) Market Segment how would you describe your customer base in terms of: • sector – commercial, consumer, Hospitals, GP surgeries, Pharmacies Clinical blood analysis and flow cytometry research is done is any part of the world • age All ages • gender Both genders • income group? This device would be accessible to both low and high income groups • local, regional, national, international Clinical blood analysis and flow cytometry research is done is any part of the world Market Size and Potential • What is the demand for your product or service? Clinical blood analysis and flow cytometry research is done is any part of the world Competitor Analysis • Who are your competitors? Clinical analysis laboratories, other flow cytometer manufacturers • Where are your competitors? Worldwide • How do they promote themselves? In scientific and clinical meetings, at internet • How and/or why do you differ from your competitors? An environment-friendly portable new flow cytometer of the size of an external hard disk that can be used in any health centre or pharmacy or even at home or research lab and would be capable of a full blood cell count and/or of the simultaneous analysis of cells and particles. • Is your product or service unique? If so, why and how? An environment-friendly portable new flow cytometer of the size of an external hard disk that can be used in any health centre or pharmacy or even at home or research lab and would be capable of a full blood cell count and/or of the simultaneous analysis of cells and particles. Marketing Objectives Consider: • Sales levels to be achieved – we hope to achieve sales levels compared to spectrophotometer sales for research laboratories or portable haemocytometers for consumers and clinical analysis laboratories • Footfall required we hope to achieve sales levels compared to spectrophotometer sales for research laboratories or portable haemocytometers for consumers and clinical analysis laboratories • Market share required – BD Biosciences, Luminex, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Beckman Coulter • Target markets Pharmacies, supermarkets, Health centres, research labs • Product or service to be delivered An environment-friendly portable new flow cytometer of the size of an external hard disk that can be used in any health centre or pharmacy or even at home or research lab and would be capable of a full blood cell count and/or of the simultaneous analysis of cells and particles. References: 1. Tallitsch RB, Frederic M, Michael J T (2006). Human anatomy (5th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings. p.529. 2. Ganong WF (2003). Review of medical physiology (21 ed.). New York: Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill. p.518. 3. Waugh A, Grant A (2007). "2". Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness (Tenth ed.). Churchill Livingstone Elsevier. p.22. 4. Maria do Rosário André, Ana Pedro, David Lyden. (2016). Cancer Exosomes as Mediators of Drug Resistance. Methods Mol Biol. 2016;1395:229-39.