EVENTS
of Biomedical Science Practice at the University of Staffordshire, who focused on education of biomedical scientists in his talk, entitled, ‘From laboratory to pathway: rethinking biomedical science education for next-generation diagnostics’. At Staffordshire, Ian and other faculty members are trying to shift their education from a test- centred basis to a patient-centred basis, as he put it, ‘pivoting from place to effective application of diagnostics’. As he explained, with the constrictions placed upon education programmes by various stakeholders, making changes like this isn’t always easy. However, Ian highlighted a number of areas in the degree course content where practical education can take place, allowing students to understand in greater depth how diagnostics sits in patient pathways and how it can have an impact on patient outcomes. With the support of the local hospital, Ian has been able to give his students greater exposure to NHS patient pathways, allowing them to connect diagnostics with patient impact and professional purpose. With POCT often implemented around
rather than within pathology systems, Ian pointed out that in the past biomedical scientists have been asked to support technologies and environments that they haven’t been trained to evaluate. By making a shift in education from bench to bedside, Ian argued that future biomedical scientists will be beter placed to understand clinical decision points and clinical decision-making, as well as how POCT can be governed and evaluated correctly within the wider healthcare system.
Seetal Bhabra The next speaker was Seetal Bhabra, who is POCT Services Lead at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (C&V UHB). Her presentation looked at a new software solution for connecting and monitoring POCT devices. Titled, ‘Complete holistic software solution for improving diagnostic safety at the point of healthcare delivery’, her presentation first highlighted the increasing burden of monitoring and maintaining devices; firstly in their increasing number, then secondly the responsibility of maintenance – which going forward will include more post- market surveillance. C&V UHB looked after 1,459 devices
in 2025 and sees an annual increase of around 5%, with these devices undertaking over a million tests a year. Seetal rounded up a number of problems which healthcare professionals tasked with maintaining POCT devices run into, including tracking devices issued to
Dr Andy Breakell.
patients, recalls and PMS requirements, warranties and expiry dates for equipment and consumables; all of which can lead to poorly controlled devices being used on patients. The solution being used at Cardiff is a
new piece of software called Device Link (
www.device-link.com) which automates the required processes, reducing the manual tracking tasks associated with POCT devices and providing a trackable record of maintenance and key dates across a raft of equipment types. The app and dashboard provide real-time feedback and data, which is able to facilitate proactive improvements for end users as well as capturing product feedback. Notification tools ensure key dates aren’t missed and all devices and tests are fully compliant.
Dr Marie-Therese Rached and Dr Benjamin Miller
The day was rounded off by Dr Marie- Therese Rached and Dr Benjamin Miller, both of The London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (UCL), and Q-BIOMED. Their presentation ‘Quantum Sensing in Healthcare’ looked at the potential for quantum science across healthcare and more specifically in diagnostics. Q-BIOMED is the Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub, the UK’s first quantum hub for biomedicine which aims to deliver a step change in earlier disease diagnosis and treatment.
The Q-BIOMED Hub is part of a
£160 million network of five new Quantum Technology Research Hubs, set up as part of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme, to ensure the UK benefits from the potential of quantum technologies. Dr Rached, who is Senior
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WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM June 2026
Angela Gore.
Business Development Manager, provided an overview of the hub’s set up and areas of work. Of its four research themes, one is in vitro diagnostics. The Hub is working to develop and validate next-generation ultra-sensitive lateral flow tests using quantum science. Dr Miller, who is also a Research
Fellow in Biochemical Engineering at UCL, then updated the audience on the current capabilities of quantum science and the potential application within diagnostics. Quantum technology offers high sensitivity, stability and the ability to handle complex samples, making it a drop-in replacement for many assays using labelling. Test strips can be read by a low-cost portable reader, making it suitable for low-resource setings. As well as lateral-flow assays, the technology can also be used for ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays), bead-based immunoassays, NAATs (nucleic acid amplification tests), and flow cytometry. The future possibilities are wide ranging – the quantum technology results in a higher per-test cost for assays, but the team is working on a low-cost reader which it aims to produce for under £200. Tests can be highly multiplexed and offer quantitative results, with further sensitivity improvements also promised in the future.
POCTInnovators.com is an open access, free to subscribe website, conceived as a resource for healthcare professionals, diagnostics companies and key opinion leaders to share information related to the field of point-of-care, rapid and decentralised diagnostics.
Keep up to date with future events at the website.
www.poctinnovators.com
PPi
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