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Sponsored by: University of Connecticut
Updated: September 1, 2019 Doing Business in Connecticut 2019

UConn Researcher: A Single Drop of Blood Could Save a Life

| Nathan Oldham/UConn Photo | Kostyantyn Partola, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Engineering at UConn, has created a test that uses only one drop of blood to identify patients with “sticky blood,’’ a big indicator in cardiovascular illness. Using the expertise at the UConn School of Business, he is propelling the new medical testing technology from brainchild into a business.

“The driving motivation for me is to create a world where cardiovascular disease isn’t the No. 1 killer any more,’’ says scientist and entrepreneur Kostyantyn Partola from his laboratory on the UConn campus in Storrs.

Everyone knows that smoking, elevated blood pressure, and high cholesterol are key risk factors for heart disease. But fewer people know about “sticky blood.’’

A big indicator in cardiovascular illness is a person’s blood viscosity, the thickness and stickiness of their blood, which determines how hard the heart must work. But few people know if they have this risk factor. 

Partola and a team of UConn Health researchers have developed a new technology to identify the problem, a testing kit that would allow physicians to evaluate blood viscosity using a single drop of blood, tested on a portable machine right in a doctor’s office. It is much easier and less expensive than conventional tests.

“We envision this in every doctor’s office as part of a patient’s annual checkup,’’ says Partola, who is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Engineering. “This will help people assess their health and provide a clearer picture of what’s going on in the body.’’

Partola’s medical device company, called Simvize (derived from simple device), is now developing its second prototype to display to investors. He’s applying for a host of grants, including one from the prestigious National Science Foundation. Partola is hopeful that he will develop additional tests for early-stage Alzheimer’s and for a rare cancer, using the same equipment.

“We are really excited to be part of the entrepreneurial movement at UConn,’’ he says. “I didn’t see myself as an entrepreneur three years ago, but now I want to pursue it whole-heartedly.’’

Partola developed the idea for his invention in 2017 while researching sickle cell disease. Blood viscosity may play a role in the severity of that illness. During a brainstorming session with colleagues, Partola lamented the lack of a simple, inexpensive diagnostic tool to measure it. Then he decided to create one. “We said, ‘How come no one has thought of this?’’’ he recalled.

He has developed the business with the assistance of George Lykotrafitis, Ph.D., an engineering faculty member and Thomas Geer, a consultant in the medical field.  

Through the business school’s Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CCEI) Summer Fellowship Program to the business school’s Wolff New Venture Competition, Partola has been the recipient of numerous financial awards. He has also met advisers and mentors to steer his course. He has a network of other inventors to support him, and a team of engineering students to help with the equipment. UConn even provides the laboratory space he needs.

“The expertise and mentorship that we’ve received from UConn was exactly what we needed to get this business off the ground,’’ he says. “Through the School of Business programs, I’ve learned to present my work to investors so that they understand the technology.’’

“The whole ecosystem at UConn has been incredible,’’ he says. “We’re very optimistic that we have a really good shot of receiving a significant investment. We know the path to take.’’