HAC3 Point-of-Care Test
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HAC3 Point-of-Care Test for the Detection of Vitamin B1 Deficiency
Beriberi Detection through Salivary Testing offers Rapid Risk Identification for Malnourished Detainees - an innovative approach that aims to enhance early intervention and monitoring in challenging remote areas. - Beriberi is a debilitating disease caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency that disproportionately affects and has a rapid onset among malnourished detainees. Surveying for thiamine deficiency among detainees in remote areas would improve the efficacy of malnutrition monitoring. Unfortunately, the collection of whole blood, stool and urine samples is impracticable in these areas, making assays based on saliva a highly valuable option. A new test strategy based on immuno-metabolic biomarkers from saliva has been proposed by EPFL for the pre-emptive detection of beriberi. Based on this, the team proposes to develop a salivary point-of-care test to identify detainees at risk of developing beriberi.
Credits Main Image: ICRC/Carol Lumingu /26.04.2016
As leader of the EPFL EssentialTech’s Humanitarian Division, Greg works at the interface of research and humanitarian action. He is leading several large-scale partnerships between EPFL and the ICRC (Engineering for Humanitarian Action), the UNHCR (The Geneva Technical Hub) and the Graduate Institute (The Future of Humanitarian Design). He is also developing executive trainings for humanitarian practitioners on the responsible use of technology in humanitarian setting, as well as about cybersecurity in the sector. Prior to working at EssentialTech, he led the Innovation Coordination at MSF (Doctors Without Borders) Switzerland, aimed at harnessing the power of medical, humanitarian and digital innovations to meet the needs of patients and others affected by disasters. He previously worked several years as a manager for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in various regions affected by armed conflicts (Afghanistan, Colombia, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire) and later as Deputy Director for the Antenna Foundation, an NGO that incubates innovative solutions to meet the basic needs of people living in poverty. He is the co-founder and current President of the Board of Watalux SA, a social startup developing innovation for safe water and better hygiene in hospitals, and Board Member of SwissSolidarity, a leading Swiss philanthropic foundation. He holds a PhD in Life Science from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland).
Dr. EmelineDarçot is a project manager at the EssentialTech Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland, which harnesses innovation in support of sustainable development,humanitarian action and peace promotion. She is currently coordinating the Engineering Humanitarian Action programme within the Humanitarian Division.
She holds a PhD in Life Science from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). After a PhD and a postdoctoral position in biomedical imaging at the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Emeline joined the EPFL EssentialTech Centre in 2021 as a project coordinator on the Ren’All Care project. She then joined the EPFL Research Office in 2022 as project manager and coordinates since then the Engineering Humanitarian Action programme within the Humanitarian Division of the EssentialTech Centre.
Integrated Settlement Planning