The team developed a testing device which can diagnose ovarian cancer in a few minutes using a drop of blood. This portable technology is different from the ones currently in the hospital environment and allows for greater flexibility in terms of monitoring a patient even after she has already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

As well as the test being simple and fast the test does not require a technically-developed laboratory or a specialized technician to operate it which reduces costs and means that there isn’t a need for a centralisation of services. The device can also be used with other biomarkers to detect other types of disease.

‌Professor Conlan, together with colleagues Dr Sofia Teixeira (Swansea University College of Engineering), Drs Lewis Francis, Deya Gonzalez and Lavinia Margarit (from the Swansea University Medical School), and Dr Ines Pinto from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, INL, Braga, Portugal have been recognised for their pioneering work with the award of the i3S Hovine Capital Health Innovation prize.

Professor Conlan said: “The Hovione prize will allow the team to initiate the process of moving our device from the lab to the patient. Whilst there is much work to be done, this is an important step towards the better and earlier diagnosis of patients with ovarian cancer. Cooperation between the two European centres has been key in realising this achievement.”

i3S Hovine Capital Health Innovation prize, created this year, aims at distinguishing innovative ideas in the area of health. The winners of the grand prize receive €35,000 in financing and services that include a market study, development of a business plan, technology validation by industrial experts, and support in setting up a company based on the winning technology.

The i3S-Hovione Capital Health Innovation Prize is supported internationally by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT-Health) and has partnerships with several entities, such as Bluecinical (PT), Patentree (PT), SRS Advogados (PT), Impact Science (UK), and ANI / MCTES (PT) through its Bfk Award.

 Swansea University Medical School, established in 2004, is an internationally-recognised centre of excellence in medical research, education and innovation.  The Medical School has three main activities: learning and teaching, research, and business and innovation. Read about the history of the Medical School at http://www.scribd.com/doc/235047725/History-in-the-Making-College-of-Medicine-Swansea-University-10th-Anniversary-2004-2014

Swansea University Medical School has had spectacular success in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. Achievements include; joint 1st in the UK for research environment rated as 100% world-leading and 2nd in the UK for research quality in our unit of assessment, scored 100% world-leading in terms of impact and 95 % of the research submitted was assessed as world-leading (54%) or internationally excellent (41%) Find out more about the REF2014 results at https://www.scribd.com/doc/250478133/College-of-Medicine-results-in-the-Research-Excellence-Framework-REF-2014

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For more information about the Swansea University College of Engineering go to http://www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering/

Picture: Drs Ines Pinto (INL, left) and Sofia Teixeira (Swansea, fourth from the left) receiving the prize in Porto, Portugal.