Connected Field Lab - Integrating Data with Diagnostic Testing at the Front Line

This project combines global health and national security, by combining miniaturised medical diagnostic testing with health data science to develop a smart mobile lab that can be deployed anywhere to support field medicine. Mobile, secure lab testing is vital for public health from outbreaks (e.g. Ebola, covid-19), to field medicine in conflict areas.

Rapid portable diagnostics (e.g. lateral flow tests) are vital for urgent medical decisions. Digital health systems can integrate multiple factors -patient background with test results and clinical observations. In a defence setting, field deployment of diagnostic testing capability is critical to support not only military operations, but also support civilians in conflict areas, plus surveillance and intelligence, detecting infection outbreaks plus biological or chemical warfare agents.

Suiting students from a wide range of backgrounds (bioscience to data or engineering), the project will build expertise across multiple fields vital to global public health and security. Combining portable diagnostic tests with the latest health data science will give deep understanding of medical and defence data systems. Alongside, a fully functional prototype "field lab" will be developed - comprising a mobile suite of miniaturised biomedical tests - giving hands-on experience of current and future rapid diagnostic tests, including bioassay and microfluidics development.