Project number
16074
Organization
UA Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation
Academic year
2016-2017
Helminthic therapy uses the natural immunosuppressant properties of hookworms as a remedy for autoimmune diseases and disorders. The U.S. Food and drug Administration has not approved helminthic therapy, and current methods of administering and dosing are impractical for mass commercial adoption.
The semiautomated system devised by the team requires minimal handling of infectious material, provides highly accurate dosing of Necator americanus helminths, and meets all FDA criteria for market approval. The design includes a helminth incubation and cultivation system, including a temperature sensor and hygrometer, which houses the helminth culture and provides a continuous supply of infective Necator americanus larvae.
The team also developed a helminth dose dispensing system: a photo-detection apparatus consisting of a glass microfluidic chip, optical fiber photo gate, pumps for worm fluid flow, and a microcontroller subsystem for overall procedure control.
The semiautomated system devised by the team requires minimal handling of infectious material, provides highly accurate dosing of Necator americanus helminths, and meets all FDA criteria for market approval. The design includes a helminth incubation and cultivation system, including a temperature sensor and hygrometer, which houses the helminth culture and provides a continuous supply of infective Necator americanus larvae.
The team also developed a helminth dose dispensing system: a photo-detection apparatus consisting of a glass microfluidic chip, optical fiber photo gate, pumps for worm fluid flow, and a microcontroller subsystem for overall procedure control.