Revolutionizing the Diagnosis of Cancer: Raj Krishnan

Combining electrical engineering and bioengineering, Raj Krishnan has created a technology that revolutionizes the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other severe illnesses. Called OmniVerita, this “lab-on-a-chip” molecular diagnostic platform creates opportunities for early detection, treatment response, and recurrence monitoring. 

OmniVerita directly isolates any particle from any solution, without prior processing, in less than one hour. Once isolated from blood, serum, or plasma, the particle, such as cell-free DNA or exosomes, can be sequenced and analyzed, and used to identify cancer and tuberculosis markers.

Krishnan and his team have received two grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the research and development of his groundbreaking technology. The most recent award, in July of this year, will help with the expansion of OmniVerita M, a mobile version of OmniVerita. The point-of-care device plugs into a smartphone and analyzes a fingertip blood sample. With all of the capabilities of the original platform, this portable version extends molecular testing to field hospitals, rural areas, and countries with low resources and limited access to sophisticated laboratory testing.

Having received his Ph.D. in bioengineering from UCSD, Raj Krishnan founded Biological Dynamics in 2010 as an innovative diagnostic company committed to improving global health outcomes by developing the next generation of low-cost, accessible cancer diagnostic solutions for global use. He was among the first to use AC Electrokinetics for diagnosing illnesses that can be found in the blood.