Developing a cost-effective, portable platelet count measuring device for automated, point-of-care diagnosis of thrombocytopenia

Accurately determining platelet count is a vital predictor of patient outcome in the event of trauma-induced haemorrhaging (a leading cause of death globally); pathogenic diseases such as dengue; and nonpathogenic diseases like heart attacks and stroke; as well as aiding diagnosis of conditions such as leukaemia and autoimmune diseases. Platelet testing normally involves manual counts or large specialist equipment in well-funded hospitals. The proposed device would be portable and truly point-of-care, allowing for deployment in the field, in healthcare facilities in LEDCs and for at-home testing. My research would investigate the suitability of electrochemical impedance and optical biosensing for assessing platelet count with whole blood microsamples.