Jugal Suthar, Stefan Guldin
The ChromaDose project concluded with a End of Project Meeting on the 18th December 23, hosted at the Vesynta Headquarters within the London Cancer Hub's Innovation Gateway in Sutton. Attended by a diverse array of research partners including UCL, Vesynta, University of Newcastle, University of Birmingham, NIHR, PORT, and Imperial College, the meeting underscored the collaborative ethos that has propelled this initiative forward.
The session commenced with a reflection by project co-lead, Professor Stefan Guldin, who provided insights into the journey of the past 36 months. He emphasized the intensity of collaboration as evidenced by the involvement of over 20 different stakeholder groups and also highlighted by the exchange of more than 1,800 email conversation by Dr Guldin on the subject of ChromaDose since 2020.
Following this, Lisa Pfaffenrath summarized the extensive public and patient involvement activities, highlighting significant engagements with Young Person Advisory Groups North England, Great Ormond Street Hospital, the parent and carer organization PORT, and various hospital schools. These endeavours, including workshops, individual consultations, and participation in prestigious outreach events such as the Bloomsbury Festival and Royal Society Summer Science Festival, underscore the project's dedication to inclusivity and community engagement.
Dr Jugal Suthar elaborated on the diverse translational activities, emphasizing stakeholder consultations that inform the user interface and experience for ChromaDose technology. Through hospital visits, workshops, and nationwide individual consultations via Healthcare Professional Questionnaire, Dr. Suthar outlined the collaborative approach to optimise user interface and maximise user experience for both hardware and software development while navigating regulatory pathways for In Vitro Diagnostics and ensuring adherence to rigorous standards.
Transitioning to the Vesynta Laboratory, Dr. Alaric Taylor provided a detailed overview of hardware developments, including device prototyping, and facilitated a hands-on demonstration. This interactive session prompted insightful discussions on scientific principles, future developments, and potential applications across different patient groups and therapies.
The meeting concluded with a robust roundtable discussion led by Prof. Gareth Veal and Dr Jugal Suthar, focusing on key themes such as evolving competitor and technology landscapes, the expanding role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) and Model-Informed Precision Dosing (MIPD) in drug development, and outlining ChromaDose's next steps, encompassing validation, exploration of new drugs and indications.
While the funding period of the ChromaDose project is coming to an end, the technology is being further developed within new frameworks, which have been made accessible through this NIHR i4i Product Development Award. Looking forward, the ChromaDose technology embarks on a new chapter, propelled by the relationships formed and the opportunities catalyzed during this transformative journey.