World-first blood test heads to First Nations communities

A new blood test set to redefine how iron levels are measured is heading to the Northern Territory, as scientists gather real-world insights to develop a device that works anywhere – from city labs to remote communities.

Dr Nicole Jenkins, CEO and cofounder of FeBI Technologies and Florey scientist, is steering the innovation. Her company is developing a quantum-based blood test capable of measuring iron levels cheaply, reliably, and accurately which is a step beyond the limits of current testing methods.

Today’s standard tests only measure ferritin, not iron itself. FeBI, created in collaboration with The Florey and the University of Melbourne, promises to change that.

“We should imagine our iron is like water inside tiny bottles made of the protein ferritin carried along in the bloodstream,” explained Dr Jenkins. “When doctors order blood tests, they really want to know how much ‘water’ there is. Current technology allows us only to see the ‘bottles’, not what’s inside them. The problem is that while some ‘bottles’ are full of ‘water’, some are empty. This can render the ferritin blood test for iron inaccurate, particularly in people with chronic health conditions.”

Low iron levels disproportionately affecting women. Inaccurate ferritin tests can lead to misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and cost Australians billions each year.

Dr Jenkins said, “FeBI has the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment of iron disorders including iron deficiency, anaemia, and haemochromatosis – iron overload. FeBI will also enable monitoring in diseases where iron status is vital for health management such as chronic kidney disease and diabetes, which disproportionately affect First Nations people.”

Acknowledging FeBI’s transformative potential, the Australian Government’s Critical Technologies Challenge Program has pledged $494,000 to fund prototype development and First Nations engagement in Katherine, NT, starting this month. The program also champions First Nations participation in cutting-edge technologies.

Professor Sean Taylor, University of Melbourne’s expert in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, will lead the Katherine-based initiative through FeBI’s partnership with Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation.

Professor Taylor said, “Our work in the Northern Territory is vital to understand the features a FeBI device needs in order to be useful and valued – and to make sure it stands up in practical terms in a remote community.”

“Sunrise Health Service is excited to be part of such important research that may prove to be a game changer in accurate testing of Iron levels for first nations people and others,” commented Rebecca Bond, CEO of Sunrise Health Service.

Bond stressed the broader implications: FeBI could improve health outcomes for pregnant women, young children, and people living with chronic disease across their lifespan.

“Through innovation and improved point of care testing, FeBI may also improve quality, timeliness and accuracy of testing on the ground, but more importantly be less invasive for clients than current methods. This will mean less avoidance by clients of having their iron levels tested,” she said.

Dr Jenkins outlined that the information gathered in Katherine will inform the design of a blood-test device that is accessible and affordable and able to operate in any environment.

University of Melbourne Associate Professor David Simpson, a FeBI co-founder, added “We have been working on diamond based quantum sensing technology for over a decade now and we are excited to see it develop into a precision diagnostic tool for direct and accurate iron assessment from a simple blood test.”

In reimagining healthcare across the entire patient journey, Health Industry Hub^TM is the only one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of the Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change.

The Health Industry Hub^TM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.