I-Corps: Clinical diagnostics for bowel disease

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to improve diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal disease and to reduce healthcare costs. Digestive diseases constitute a worldwide burden on health care. Moreover, the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases has increased in children and in adults. Current diagnostic tools, such as biopsy, are not usually available to initiate patient treatment or management; nor is it a favorable method for repeat sampling needed in such chronic conditions. Thus, lack of tools to molecularly identify disease has restricted the ability to manage gastrointestinal inflammation in both pediatric and adult patients. A molecular diagnosis can translate to better care for the patient and financial advantage for payers.This I-Corps project will examine the potential product-market fit of diagnostic biomarkers for gastrointestinal tract disorders. Accurate, rapid, and inexpensive diagnostics can make personalized management of inflammatory bowel disease accessible. A prototype of a simple and accurate diagnostic medical device for a common and devastating bowel disease in preterm infants has been developed. Customer interviews will provide an in-depth understanding and prioritization of their needs and requirements. They also will trigger an iterative evolution of the team?s business model and product design. Beyond the economic benefit of improved clinical management of patients, technology use in clinical labs, veterinary labs, and pharmaceutical development markets can be evaluated.