Portable Blood Biomarker Spectrophotometer

What:

• Collaborated in a team to develop a Portable Blood Biomarker Spectrophotometer, a low-cost and functional device tailored for detecting biomarkers in blood samples.

• Designed to identify biomarker concentrations with precision, providing initial disease diagnosis for users in resource-limited settings.

How:

• Built the prototype using LEDs, photoresistors, and an Arduino microcontroller, housed in a CAD-designed enclosure for portability and functionality.

• Developed a calibration curve with a linear regression equation, ensuring precise absorbance-concentration calculations.

• Validated the system through iterative testing, incorporating absorbance measurements and confidence interval analysis.

• Enhanced accuracy by redesigning the cuvette holder, ensuring focused LED light transmission and reducing variability in photoresistor readings.

Results:

• Achieved a 95% confidence interval for identifying abnormal protein concentrations.

• Validation studies demonstrated device accuracy, including results for 1.5% biomarker concentration with absorbance readings of 1.59 ± 0.10, 1.53 ± 0.03, and 1.60 ± 0.012.

• Successfully differentiated disease states on challenge day:

  • Sample C (2.60 ± 0.17) and Sample D (1.91 ± 0.06) were correctly identified as "Present."

  • Sample A (0.93 ± 0.09) returned "Inconclusive."

  • Sample B (0.33 ± 0.18) confirmed as "Absent."

Delivered a user-friendly, battery-powered device with clear, actionable results, highlighting expertise in bioinstrumentation, circuit design, and statistical analysis.