Pune-based diagnostic technology on exhibit at London’s Science Museum

Pune: Module Innovations, a Pune-based startup that has developed a pocket-sized chip for the rapid detection of UTI –Usense, announced the first-ever international display of its breakthrough technology, on exhibit now at the UK’s prestigious Science Museum in London.

Featured in the Tomorrow’s World gallery at the museum, the small credit card sized strip will allow for visual detection of the presence of four specific UTI-causing bacteria in less than an hour, a significant improvement over existing technologies where the time required for standard culture testing was 2-3 days.

The exhibition features award-winning scientific advances, and Module Innovations was selected for the exhibition based on the potential for such a diagnostic tool to save lives. Globally, there are 150 million reported cases of urinary tract infections (UTI) every year, and if left untreated, UTI can trigger kidney damage and sepsis, leading to death. Therefore, timely detection and correct antibiotics is the need of the hour.

Maya, a research scientist at Module, is excited about the impact USense will have on the lives of people and especially females, who are at a greater risk of UTI. The results are easy to interpret, and the device can be used in the convenience of your home and runs without electricity, she said.

The founders – Sacchin Dubey and Usman Khan are elated with this honor “The last few months have been great for us. It started with us winning the prestigious Longitude Prize Discovery Award and the IIGP 2.0 award for being the top 5 social impact startups in India. However, this recognition is one for the history books! It’s a terrific feeling to have your innovation placed alongside those of Newton and Alexander Fleming. It’s a truly special time for us, and we are excited about what lies ahead.”

“Module Innovations is incubated at Venture Center, which supports science startups with a strong technology component and the potential for widespread impact. We are thrilled with the traction that such international recognition provides, and we are very proud of their achievements.” said, Dr Premnath, Director, Venture Center.