Children's toy inspires powerless centrifuge for malaria tests

In remote rural area, Manu Prakash saw a centrifuge being used as a doorstop because the village lacked electricity to use it as intended. He then noticed children playing with a paper and string toy when a lifesaving idea popped into his head.

Prakash, a professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, developed a new tool to help in the testing of malaria in rural villages without access to power. Conventional malaria testing involves examining blood samples that has been through a centrifuge. Prakash developed the Paperfuge, an hand-powered centrifuge that can be used in areas without electricity.

Read the full story by clicking the link below: 

""
Cara Livernois, News Writer

Cara joined TriMed Media in 2016 and is currently a Senior Writer for Clinical Innovation & Technology. Originating from Detroit, Michigan, she holds a Bachelors in Health Communications from Grand Valley State University.

Around the web

The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.

The 24 members of the House Task Force on AI—12 reps from each party—have posted a 253-page report detailing their bipartisan vision for encouraging innovation while minimizing risks. 

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.