IITian quits Hollywood to design lab in suitcase

Village folk may soon have access to accurate medical diagnosis at their doorstep with a miniaturised pathological laboratory packed into a suitcase capable of conducting tests which could lead to early identification of many diseases.
Amit Bhatnagar, an alumnus of IIT-Roorkee who quit a plush job in Hollywood's famed Universal Studios, has designed a portable biochemistry laboraotry, which comes packed in a suitcase and can perform 23 crucial medical tests including for kidney, liver, heart, anaemia, diabetes and arthritis.
The portable lab, which could prove a boon to people staying in remote areas that have little access to diagnostics which results in several diseases remaining undetected, was launched by Science and Technology Minister S Jaipal Reddy yesterday.

"It is a complete compact lab in a suitcase with power backup. It has been designed to perform 23 vital blood tests for kidney, liver, heart, anaemia, diabetes and arthritis accurately, cost-effectively and timely," Bhatnagar told PTI.
The lab, which costs a maximum of Rs 3.5 lakh, includes blood analyzer, centrifuge, Micro pipettes, incubator, Laptop with Patient Data Management Software and consumables.
"Key advantage of Mobile Lab is in its design, rugged analyser, portability, cost effectiveness," Bhatnagar said.
The portable lab is being used by Border Roads Organisation at its dispensaries in remote areas of Kargil, Leh, Nagaland, by the Central Reserve Police Force in the jungles of Chhattisgarh and various programmes of the National Rural Health Mission in Haryana and Kerala on a pilot basis.

"We did a trial for 800-900 people in our dispensaries in remote areas. It has a lot of potential for early detection of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiac problems and in emergencies," Brigadier S B Mahajan, Deputy Director General, Border Roads Organisation said.