Could a simple device tell you quickly whether you have the flu, AIDS or another dangerous disease? UW Bioengineering Professor Dr. Paul Yager presented at TEDXRainier in Seattle’s McCaw Hall on November 22, 2014. In his presentation, Dr. Yager discussed how his research group is developing paper-based devices for diagnosing infectious disease, revolutionizing the world of medicine and increasing access to healthcare to everyone, everywhere. UPDATED: Dr. Yager’s talk is now available on Youtube, watch below!
Dr. Yager, who served as UW Bioengineering’s chair from 2007 to 2013, focuses on development of microfluidic devices and systems for analysis of biological fluids for use in biomedical diagnostics. The primary goal of his work is to expand access to healthcare by creating low-cost point-of-care diagnostic devices that can easily be used in low-resource settings.
From 2005 to 2010 a research team led by Dr. Yager received support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a low-cost point-of-care system for pathogen identification.
Currently, Dr. Yager leads NIH and DARPA-funded projects to develop ultra-low-cost, instrument-free diagnostic technologies based on what the lab calls two-dimensional paper networks (2DPNs). Their goal is to combine these inexpensive, disposable tests with cell phones for analysis and rapid connectivity with the healthcare system.