Countless possibilities
In micro-gravity environments it is difficult to perform conventional diagnostic tests. Not only can fluids be difficult to handle in space, but they can also damage sensitive equipment. Using centrifugal microfluidics, Quommni is essentially able to create gravity on a chip. Coupled with the effects of surface tension in the microfluidic channels, fluid is retained within the assay system and away from crucial equipment. Good health will be crucial to future space exploration, and Quommni Technologies hopes to serve this need.
Soil is literally right beneath our feet and yet many of its intricate qualities are difficult to determine. Inside the soil there are communities of bacteria, viruses, protists, and other microbes that shape the world beneath us but their identities and composition remain obscure. These microbes have a substantial impact on the plants that grow in the soil and therefore influence the health and yields of crops. Soils come in countless varieties, as do their microbiomes, and Quommni Technologies aims to help agriculturists characterize the factors that improve food production through nucleic acid detection.
Crops and animals are susceptible to a variety of infectious and genetic illnesses, just like people. This means that they need similar diagnostics to help identify optimal treatments and contain outbreaks. This is especially important since unlike people, plants and animals can’t talk. Therefore, sensitive and accurate diagnostic tools are essential for maintaining the well-being of plants and animals. The recent outbreaks of COVID-19 amongst minks in Denmark and African swine fever virus amongst swine in China are compelling and concrete examples of the losses that diseases can incur. With Quommni’s microfluidic technologies, this will be a thing of the past.
Pets, like animals in general, can also suffer from numerous illnesses with often heartbreaking consequences. Infectious illnesses in pets often have latent effects and by the time symptoms are recognized, it is too late to save the animal. Quommni diagnostic assays can make it cheaper and more convenient for pet owners to monitor their animal’s health. This can help avoid costly veterinarian visits which can also be distressing for the pet - so your pet can be happier and healthier.
