A low-cost, 'physics-based' point-of-care thrombocytopenia detector

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded Emory University $100,228 under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) on December 1, 2026, to develop a low-cost, point-of-care thrombocytopenia detector for home use.

The funded research will optimize a two-part detection system consisting of a blood collection device and an image processing component that quantifies blood clot contraction. The system measures contractile force generated by activated platelets during clot formation, which correlates directly with platelet count, enabling detection of thrombocytopenia from a single drop of blood. The work addresses an unmet clinical need for an affordable, accessible alternative to complete blood count testing, particularly in low-resource and rural settings where standard laboratory diagnostics are costly, require specialized training, and remain inaccessible.

Emory University's Office of Sponsored Programs, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is the recipient. Place of performance is Atlanta, Georgia. The project period runs from December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2027. The assistance type is a Project Grant, supporting research training and investigation development in cardiovascular and blood disease research within NHLBI's competitive research program.

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia, or abnormally low platelet count, is a significant public health concern, commonly affecting patients with cancer, sepsis, and those on anticoagulants. Thrombocytopenia can increase the risk of major bleeding, and in extreme cases, IT can lead to severe hemorrhage, heart attack, and even death. Routine monitoring for thrombocytopenia is crucial, as detection of severe thrombocytopenia requires immediate treatment to prevent severe internal bleeding. However, the current standard for detecting thrombocytopenia, a complete blood count, is costly, requires specialized training, and is often inaccessible in low-resource and rural settings. As a result, there is an unmet clinical need for a thrombocytopenia detector that is both affordable and feasible for home-use. The research objective of this proposal is to develop a low-cost, point-of-care device that can enable patients to monitor their own platelet count for thrombocytopenia at home. Our hematology-focused engineering lab has previously shown that during clot formation, activated platelets generate a contractile force that is directly correlated with platelet count. Our preliminary results also show that image processing of blood clot images via thresholding can detect changes in clot contraction caused by differences in platelet count. The overall hypothesis of this proposal is that measurement of clot contraction via image processing can accurately detect thrombocytopenia from a single drop of blood. Building on our preliminary data, the goal of aim 1 is to develop a thrombocytopenia detection system that is both low-cost and feasible for home-use. This two-part system developed in preliminary studies, consisting of a blood collection device and image processing component to quantify clot contraction, will be optimized by identifying optimal material properties, including surface treatment and device geometry, and automating image processing for maximum accuracy and reproducibility. The device will be validated with reconstituted samples of whole blood. Optimal material properties for the blood collection device will be identified, including bulk materials, surface treatments, and device geometry. The image processing system will be automated to ensure maximum accuracy and repeatability. The device will be validated with reconstituted samples of whole blood. Aim 2 seeks to evaluate the performance of the novel image-based thrombocytopenia detector in a clinical setting with samples from leukemia patients, who commonly suffer from thrombocytopenia. Results from our proposed device will be correlated with results from a complete blood count, the standard for detection of thrombocytopenia. Additionally, our device's results will be correlated with platelet function assays to evaluate its performance in cases of platelet dysfunction. The proposed research will improve access to early detection and treatment of severe thrombocytopenia, particularly for patients in low-resource and rural settings, ultimately reducing the likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the proposed work could have a broader impact by helping to pave the way for exploration of other biomechanical markers for practical diagnostic applications.