Before the invention of AnemoCheck, hemoglobin levels were measured from blood samples using hematology analyzers housed in hospitals, clinics, or commercial laboratories that requiring skilled technicians to operate.
Now, it’s easy and cost-effective to test your own hemoglobin levels at home using a finger prick. This new test is a significant upgrade for people with chronic anemia who need to test often. It also makes anemia testing more available those living in developing countries where access to a clinic or a trained medical technician is difficult.
AnemoCheck is the brainchild of Erika Tyburski, a graduate of Georgia Tech and current CEO of
Sanguina, a biomedical start-up company out of Emory and Georgia Tech.
“We specifically wanted something that did not require electricity or a reader of any kind,” Tyburski says. “They are often complex and cost-prohibitive in user groups who need access the most.”
AnemoCheck’s development began as Tyburski’s senior project in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD (Emory, Georgia Tech, Children's) and Siobhan O’Connor, MD, MPH (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) advised Tyburski on the project. Lam was impressed by Erika’s initiative and the quick timeline of AnemoCheck’s takeoff.
“In a few short years, Erika and our lab have turned an undergraduate project into a commercialized product and Erika has transitioned from undergrad to CEO of our start-up company. Now she’s
my boss!” Lam said.
This project was the work of a major collaborative effort. The Georgia Research Alliance (
GRA), an organization dedicated to expanding research capacity at universities and shaping startup companies in the state, is a supporter of AnemoCheck.
Other collaborators and partners for the project include the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
CDC), a
Coulter Translational Partnership Award,
Georgia Centers for Innovation and Manufacturing,
Atlantic Pediatric Device Consortium,
The Foundation for Women and Girls with Blood Disorders,
the National Science Foundation, and
the National Institutes of Health.
This story was originally published in 2020.
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