Simplifying PCR Sample Preparation for Faster, Broader Testing
20 May 2025
PCR tests are a well-established and reliable method for detecting infections. From identifying respiratory viruses to confirming bacterial infections, they play a crucial role in modern diagnostics. However, while PCR offers excellent sensitivity and specificity, the traditional process typically requires trained healthcare professionals to operate the equipment limiting its accessibility and increasing costs. As healthcare systems worldwide aim to expand access to timely diagnosis, especially in community or resource-limited settings, simplifying and streamlining the PCR sample preparation and testing process has become a critical challenge.
At Springboard, we worked with a client to tackle exactly this challenge: developing concepts for an improved, cost-effective method of preparing PCR samples for analysis designed to work within a device capable of performing multiple tests simultaneously. By focusing on the sample preparation stage, we targeted one of the most time-consuming and complex steps in the diagnostic workflow.
Why Sample Preparation Matters
Before a PCR test can begin, the biological sample must often go through several preparation steps: lysis, purification, metering, and transfer. These steps typically require manual handling and precision, creating bottlenecks and introducing variability.
Streamlining this process not only improves the user experience, but also reduces time-to-result and the potential for user error. For patients, that means faster, more consistent outcomes. For healthcare providers, it translates to increased throughput and reduced dependency on highly trained personnel.
Expanding Access Through Engineering Innovation
Our engineering and design teams focused on simplifying the workflow—reducing the number of steps and integrating functionality into a more compact and automated system. By doing so, we helped make the client’s multi-test diagnostic platform more appealing in real-world environments, where speed, reliability, and ease of use are paramount.
This kind of innovation can make a significant difference:
- Accelerating diagnosis to enable earlier treatment decisions
- Improving system throughput, so more patients can be seen in less time
- Reducing operational costs, making testing more scalable
- Increasing results accuracy, providing greater confidence in patient diagnoses
Ultimately, our work contributes to a broader mission: making high-quality diagnostics accessible to more people. By helping our clients develop user-friendly, efficient solutions that remove unnecessary complexity, we help healthcare systems respond faster and serve patients, particularly in times of heightened demand or during outbreaks.
At Springboard, we believe that thoughtful engineering, grounded in practical healthcare needs, can transform how diagnostic technologies are used and who they can reach.
Get in touch today to find out how we can help.
