Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Scientists are working on a state-of-the-art blood test that can monitor both the formation and dissolution of clots using just a single sample—a development that could significantly enhance patient care and ease demand on the NHS.
Spearheaded by Professor Karl Hawkins in collaboration with Swansea University researchers and NHS medical experts, the £1.2 million initiative is backed by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The team is applying rheology—the science of how substances flow and change shape—to examine how blood clots behave under different types of stress. This novel approach led to the identification of a crucial biomarker, laying the groundwork for a new generation of diagnostic tools.
Rheology is a key tool applied in medicine, playing significant roles in diagnostics, drug development, tissue engineering, and medical device innovation. By understanding the flow and deformation characteristics of biological and synthetic materials, researchers and clinicians can develop better treatments and improve patient outcomes. As technology advances, rheology will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of medical science.
By capturing rheological changes throughout the clotting process, the test provides a detailed view of a clot’s entire lifecycle—from its initial formation to its eventual breakdown—offering a depth of analysis far beyond what current testing methods can deliver.
Professor Hawkins from Swansea University Medical School indicated that with the development of cutting-edge rheometric methods to examine how blood clots behave, they are now able to evaluate and design new therapies in ways previously unavailable, paving the way for improved treatment approaches.
Utilizing microfluidic systems, the research team can monitor the disintegration of blood clots in real time within vessels of varying dimensions, providing essential insights for the development of safer and more effective medical interventions.
Dr Francesco Del Giudice, Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering and Head of the Rheological Microfluidic Laboratory within Swansea University’s Complex Fluids Research Group, pointed out that microfluidic technologies offer exceptional visibility into the mechanisms of clot dissolution, delivering detailed evaluations with strong potential for clinical use.
Dr Daniel Curtis, also an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Head of the Advanced Rheometry Laboratory in the same research group, indicated that this initiative presents a tremendous opportunity to advance novel rheometric techniques that not only benefit medical research but also transform our understanding of other time-evolving materials.
“It’s also fantastic to be collaborating with the team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) once again, who will be working with us to refine techniques for monitoring how blood clots and other time-dependent materials form and break down.”
This project is part of an £80 million UKRI (EPSRC) programme designed to support pioneering research and scientific discovery, laying the groundwork for future clinical developments that could enhance patient outcomes.
Blood clot-related illnesses—such as strokes, heart attacks, and deep vein thrombosis—are leading contributors to death and long-term disability across the globe, resulting in thousands of hospitalisations annually.
Dr Suresh Pillai, Senior Lecturer in Emergency Medicine at Swansea University and Honorary Consultant in Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine at Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, indicated that diseases linked to blood clots are placing an increasing strain on the NHS. Although treatment options are advancing, some currently available therapies can cause side effects like bleeding. This highlights the urgent need for precise diagnostic tools to evaluate how patients respond to emerging treatments.
Professor Owen Guy, who is Head of the Swansea University, Department of Chemistry, says “This is a fantastic example of how Swansea’s multidisciplinary and internationally collaborative research approach is contributing to novel clot-related technology. The project is targeted towards providing future health impact for NHS patients.”
