{"id":1573,"date":"2023-01-17T08:41:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T08:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/perc\/?p=1573"},"modified":"2023-01-17T08:41:54","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T08:41:54","slug":"developing-a-new-technology-to-diagnose-a-virus-that-can-lead-to-disabilities-in-new-born-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/perc\/2023\/01\/17\/developing-a-new-technology-to-diagnose-a-virus-that-can-lead-to-disabilities-in-new-born-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing a new technology to diagnose a virus that can lead to disabilities in new born babies"},"content":{"rendered":"
This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series People's Research Cafe at the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2022<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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This blog is part of a series showcasing the People\u2019s Research Cafe which took place on the 18th and 19th June 2022 in South Kensington, London as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

What is a People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9?\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

The People\u2019s Research Cafe is a caf\u00e9 with a twist. Visitors are welcomed to sit down at a table co-hosted by an Imperial College researcher and a public contributor whose role is to help the conversation flow freely. Over a free hot drink, visitors find out about the researcher\u2019s project and will be asked for their opinions on it. The researchers are then expected to use this feedback from visitors to improve their projects. The People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9 has been run previously at two Imperial Festivals (2018 and 2019) and also in four community venues. It was previously called the \u201cPPI Caf\u00e9\u201d and you can read about the one at the Imperial Festival 2018\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When did this People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9 take place?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A\u00a0People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9 was hosted at the Great Exhibition Road Festival held on 18 and 19 June 2022<\/a> and was a collaboration between the following teams\/centres: Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial Clinical Research Facility, London In-Vitro Diagnostics Cooperative, North West London Applied Research Collaboration, MRC Centre for Environmental and Health, HPRU in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance. Researchers from each centre were given the opportunity to apply to host a table at the Caf\u00e9 for 2 hours where they would explain their research in plain language and ask visitors 3 questions with the help of a public contributor. It was a requirement that the research project was at a stage where visitor feedback could still influence the project. Researchers and public contributors were offered training about how the Caf\u00e9 would work and how to maximise conversations with visitors. Ahead of the Caf\u00e9, researchers refined their plain language summaries and three questions to pose to visitors with the help of public involvement leads and a public contributor.<\/p>\n

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In conversation with<\/strong>: Dr Shanshan Zhou, Public and Patient Involvement lead, Department of Surgery and Cancer<\/a>, NIHR London In Vitro Diagnostic Cooperative<\/a><\/p>\n

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What research project did you bring to the People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9 and what is it about?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Around five thousand babies a year in the UK suffer from a virus called Human Cytomegalovirus or HCMV. This is the most common cause of a condition called congenital malformation, which can result in problems such as hearing loss. HCMV can be treated with antiviral medication and\/or surgery if discovered early. However, more than 50% of infected new-born babies show no symptoms at birth. A solution would be to check all new-borns for the virus. However, currently, diagnosis is performed by a lab method called qPCR, which is expensive and time-consuming. We developed a nano biosensor, a sensing device made of nano materials. Nano materials are those using the smallest particles, individual atoms and molecules. To give some scale, one nanometre is one billionth of a metre.<\/p>\n

This device is low-cost, easy-to-use and can detect HCMV in urine or saliva samples. The new device aims to help diagnose babies quickly and early on. It would significantly reduce the cost of routine diagnosis while enabling the screening of new-born babies. Along with the healthcare benefits, it could greatly benefit society by reducing the number of patients who might develop disabilities.<\/p>\n

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Members of the public discussing the research project at the People’s Research Cafe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What questions did you ask visitors to the People\u2019s Research Caf\u00e9 about your project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The questions I asked visitors are as follows:<\/p>\n