UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

The RapidSmear

Artist rendering of a RapidSmear slide.

Blood smear slides are widely used in pathology and microbiology fields to diagnose medical conditions such as anemia, kidney disease and certain cancers. One of the most common diagnostic uses of blood smear slides is to diagnose malaria, a deadly disease of global concern. The majority of malaria-related deaths occur in underserved or developing regions of the world where specimen recollection is often not an option.

Blood smear slides have high sensitivity and specificity (100%) in diagnosing malaria, but the process of developing a blood smear slide requires specialized training. Furthermore, a slide’s diagnostic fidelity is directly correlated with the technician’s proficiency in producing the smear slide.

The RapidSmear is designed to standardize the blood smear preparation procedure while ensuring consistently high-quality blood smear slides. In our human factor evaluations, the RapidSmear demonstrated its ease of use and high blood smear production regardless of training level. We are currently engaged in large-scale production planning to ensure high-quality but low-cost production of the RapidSmear technology. We believe if we minimize access barriers to laboratory testing for patients, we can shift the disease burden on a global scale.

For more information, please visit the RapidSmear information page at www.HemaGlobalUSA.com.