Student Startup winner to offer medical aspirator for endovascular thrombectomy and treatment of thrombotic diseases
PhD student Denis Uvin’s project is aimed at improving existing technologies for medical aspirators and increasing overall life expectancy.
“The solution we use is associated not only with the effective removal of blood clots, but also with a decrease in blood loss with increased productivity of the system itself. The devices that exist on the market often have only one of the above properties and are not always effective. The new development is designed to eliminate these shortcomings,” the winner shares.
The work will be stationed at the Laboratory of Quantum Simulators of the Institute of Physics.
The startup’s uniqueness is in its interdisciplinary approach: it touches upon several scientific fields, including medicine, engineering, materials science and physics. The project will be implemented using advanced engineering solutions and the latest achievements in condensed matter physics, vacuum technologies and materials science, which, according to the author, increases the chances of successful implementation and commercialization of the development.
The project involves a research team from the laboratory led by Associate Professor Ruslan Batulin, as well as a team from the Department of X-ray Surgical Diagnostic and Treatment Methods No. 1 of the Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, headed by Associate Professor of the Department of Surgical Diseases of Postgraduate Education of the Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology Andrey Teregulov.
The aspirator will be equipped with an electronic module and a valve block for modulating the pump’s performance, which will allow for the effective and gentle removal of blood clots. In the process of creating the device, modern materials will be used to ensure its lightness, durability and compliance with sanitary standards, the author of the startup clarified.
“Its working cycle includes several stages. The first is turning on the device and creating the required vacuum level. Then the electronic block is activated – for automatic flow adjustment with the possibility of manual aspiration mode. Then a catheter is inserted, and in a low-power mode to reduce blood loss, the thrombus is captured, after which it is carefully removed using vacuum,” says Uvin.
The grant funds will be used to purchase the necessary materials and components for the prototype, pay for the work of specialists involved in the project, develop an electronic unit for controlling the aspirator, as well as conduct research and testing to improve the characteristics of the device and business planning. The plans include attracting resources from outside, including through partnerships with medical institutions and companies interested in innovative technologies.
The device can be adapted for use in different age groups, which will make it in demand among a wide range of consumers.
“This is my second attempt to participate in the Student Startup competition, but this time the project is different and interdisciplinary in nature,” the young researcher comments. “The experts of the foundation (the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations – editor’s note) appreciated its relevance and demand for the medical industry.” Winning the competition not only provides an opportunity to receive funding for the implementation of the initiative, but also draws attention to the problem it solves. It is also useful to receive valuable advice and support from experts in entrepreneurship and innovation.
The team will continue to participate in the next stages of the foundation’s programs, such as the Start-Medizdeliya competition, and will bring the prototype to the stage of a full-fledged medical device.