Development
Investigating the market need for a low-cost paper-based point-of-care anaemia
Inventors: Professor Alex Routh & Sheila Bhatt, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology Mentor: Alim Thawer Anaemia is a widespread problem in low and middle income countries. It is estimated that 70% of women in rural India will be anaemic for most of their working lives, due to a low-quality diet. The researchers at Chemical Engineering have…
Improving food quality and livelihoods of people in low and
Inventors: Dr. Jonathan Cullen & Samantha Islam, Resource Efficiency Collective, Engineering Mentor: TBC The researchers are working on a food traceability project for low and middle income countries, sponsored by the Cambridge Trust and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. The primary focus for this research is the export shrimp supply chain from Bangladesh to the UK.…
Automating the detection of human schistosomiasis
Inventors: Oliver Higgins, Jonathan Cooper, Julien Reboud; University of Glasgow Mentor: Henry Blower Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) is a disease caused by infection with parasitic flatworms called schistosoma. The disease is primarily transmitted through contact with contaminated water and is common in areas with poor sanitation facilities. It causes a range of chronic symptoms…
Investigating the best markets for 3D-printed medical braces
Inventors: Dr. Sebastian Pattinson & Cassi Henderson, Engineering Mentor: Alim Thawer 20-33% of people suffer from musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis, drop foot, or lower back pain. In developing countries, these conditions can limit education and employment, especially for poor people, causing poverty and inequality. Orthoses (braces) are external devices that can significantly improve quality of…
Identifying the areas of greatest need for improved electrical efficiency,
Inventor: Dr. Teng Long, Engineering Mentor: Steve Compton Electrical power can often be a scarce or expensive resource in low and middle income countries. Cooking and lighting may be done with kerosene or solid fuels rather than electricity, and mobile phones may be recharged using car batteries. In regions without clean water supplies it will…
Exploring the need for polymeric heart valves in the developing
Inventors: Dr. Marta Serrani, Professor Geoff Moggridge, Professor Raimondo Ascione, Dr. Joanne Stasiak & Eugenia Biral, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology Mentor: Dr Bill Matthews Existing prosthetic heart valves are either biological or mechanical, both of which have limitations for patients. Biological heart valves are made from animal tissue, which means they are well-tolerated and biocompatible…
Identifying the market needs in Africa and beyond for a
Inventors: Dr. Ljiljana Fruk & Leander Crocker, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology Dr Fruk and her team have been working on developing flavin derivatives which have high catalytic properties. These can quickly degrade toxic dyes in water and were originally intended to be used in water purification activities. The compounds have been successfully attached to magnetic…
Investigating the requirements for air quality monitoring in the developing
Inventor: Peter Pedersen, EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies for a Healthy & Sustainable Future and open-seneca Mentor: Dr. Bill Matthews Open-seneca was set up by a group of Cambridge PhD students from the Sensor CDT with the aim of using citizen science to create a global air quality monitoring network. Their solution…