New kidney screening tool could help individuals take greater control of their health
Researchers developing portable kidney disease screening test
A team of researchers at UM has developed an innovative new tool that could transform how kidney disease is detected – especially in under-served and remote communities.
The uCR-Chip
The device, called the uCR-Chip, is a low-cost, portable diagnostic tool that makes kidney function testing faster, easier and more accessible. It delivers results in under seven minutes and doesn’t require advanced lab equipment.
Recently published in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering, the findings highlight how this technology could play a role in improving early detection and health outcomes for individuals living with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
A Growing Health Concern
Nearly 1 in 10 Canadians has kidney disease. That’s 4 million people – often going undiagnosed until the disease reaches an advanced stage. It is a silent epidemic that not only degrades quality of life but also burdens health-care systems with the high cost of dialysis and transplantation. Early diagnosis, however, can drastically change a patient’s trajectory, offering better treatment options and even slowing or preventing disease progression.
Dr. Claudio Rigatto
“Early diagnosis is critical,” says Dr. Claudio Rigatto, professor of internal medicine in the Max Rady College of Medicine, who is one of the project’s lead investigators. “If we can detect kidney disease early, we can prevent progression to dialysis in many cases.”
The problem? Current testing methods for kidney function usually require lab visits, expensive equipment, trained personnel and several days for results. These barriers make routine screening inaccessible for many, especially those in Indigenous and rural communities.
A Solution for Early Detection with Powerful Potential
The uCR-Chip is designed to solve these challenges. Developed by a team led by Rigatto and Dr. Francis Lin, professor of immunology, the chip uses a color-based chemical reaction to measure creatinine – a key marker of kidney health –from a small urine sample. And because it runs without special lab equipment, the chip can be used on-site at health clinics or in mobile settings.
Dr. Francis Lin
“Traditional lab tests can take days and may delay diagnosis,” says Lin. “Our new test method will lead to faster, more accessible and reliable diagnostic results to prevent irreversible kidney damage.”
The research team also includes Dr. Paul Komenda, Dr. Navdeep Tangri, Dr. Abdulrazaq Sokoro, Dr. Rene Zahedi, graduate student Dumitru Tomsa, research associate Dr. Yang Liu and former postdoctoral fellows Dr. Amanda Stefanson and Dr. Xiaoou Ren. Working alongside industry partners, the team is partnering with a Manitoba-based biotechnology company, AssureCKD Inc., on further development of CDK diagnostic test methods and commercialization.
Improving Access to Care, Easing Burden on the Health-care System
The uCR-Chip, the researchers say, has the potential to ease pressure on health-care systems by identifying kidney issues earlier, reducing the number of people who progress to late-stage disease. That means fewer people many require costly treatments like dialysis or transplants, and more can manage their health effectively with early interventions.
Dumitru Tomsa, Dr. Amanda Stefanson and Dr. Yang Liu
In many rural, remote and Indigenous communities, access to advanced lab equipment is limited, posing a barrier to accessing kidney function tests. uCR-Chip offers a portable, low-cost option that could be used in rural settings and dramatically improve access to essential testing.
“This innovation opens the door to more personalized care,” says Rigatto. “With faster results, medical providers can adjust treatments in real time, ensuring patients get the right care at the right time.”
As health-care systems across Canada search for cost-effective ways to manage chronic illnesses, the UM scientists say, innovations like the uCR-Chip offer not just hope, but solutions that put life-saving diagnostics in the hands of those who need them most.
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.