Leading the way in olfactory innovation

This innovative method – originally developed at Warwick – replicates the different aspects of the olfactory system to perceive smells using electronic sensing technology. Recently, the team’s research has focused on applying this approach to healthcare challenges, bringing diagnostics into the 21st century through the application of modern sensor and AI technology.

The group has worked on conditions including cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and even signs of pre-term labour, but a key goal has been the development of technologies and approaches for breath analysis. This technique gathers a lot of chemical information on the health and wellbeing of the individual, with the benefit of being easy to collect and sample, and harmless for the patient.

Technology to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Together with strategic partner, IMSPEX Diagnostics, the team raised £2 million to fund BreathSpecTM – the largest study of its type in the world – to develop a breath test for respiratory infections. The project also involved working collaboratively with LSTM, seven UK hospitals and two UK GP practices.

Currently, 54% of respiratory appointments in UK general practice result in an antibiotic prescription, accounting for 60% of all antibiotic prescribing in primary care worldwide. However, 70% of all respiratory infections are viral, meaning that antibiotics are not effective. This over prescribing is one of the key drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance as well as a major cost burden to the NHS. By focusing specifically on detecting bacterial infections, the team were able to identify the cause of infection, helping clinicians determine the best course of treatment.

James Covington, Associate Head of Warwick’s School of Engineering said: “This innovative olfaction technology will help to tackle the global challenge presented by antimicrobial resistance by ensuring antibiotics are only given to patients who need it. By taking a more targeted, individualised approach to disease detection and treatment, we can ensure existing medicines last longer.”

Covid-19 prompts an agile response

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the team adapted their technology to develop the only CE-marked Covid-19 breath test in the world, resulting in the development of machines for sale to the Asia market. Working closely with IMSPEX, the researchers undertook national and global studies, collecting breath samples to detect the disease.

‘This is an excellent example of this technology’s potential to tackle real-world problems in the field of healthcare,” continues James. “Importantly, it’s also a tribute to the team’s ability to adapt at pace to new challenges.”

“Post-pandemic, though, we’ve returned to our original objective – to develop a universal device for every hospital and GP practice to ‘sniff out’ infection.”