Scottish funding to develop single blood test:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK's University of Edinburgh has received funding to develop a single blood screening test, under the Scottish Executive's Proof of Concept Fund. The award announced today (February 28 2003) will be used to develop a system that researchers believe can simplify the process involved in processing the estimated 25 million blood donations screened worldwide every year. These currently undergo multiple testing before they are deemed safe; a single test would result in greater efficiency and, therefore, significant cost savings. The research will involve the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the Scottish Centre for Genomic Technology and Informatics. The £33m ($52m) Proof of Concept Fund has financed 118 "leading-edge technology" projects in academic institutions, with the aim of promoting their commercial development, since it was set up in 1999.