I-Corps: Sterile Connection Interface Technology

Award ID: 1935233

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the improvement of sterility in industrial scenarios where fluids are transferred between tubing. Possible application areas include food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and healthcare settings involving procedures like peritoneal dialysis, colostomy, or central catheterization. Specifically with peritoneal dialysis for end stage renal disease, this technology will help to reduce the risk of peritonitis which is a major barrier to the more widespread adoption of this dialysis modality. The American healthcare system could save between $7 - $10 billion annually if all end stage renal disease patients utilized this dialysis method. Beyond dialysis in end stage renal disease, the device will also reduce the amount of antibiotics given for empirical infection treatment and will help in the fight towards prevention of antibiotic resistance. This I-Corps project further develops a connection interface technology that allows sterile connection of tubing, requiring limited handling. By utilizing magnetic attractive forces, capped tubes can be uncapped, connected, disconnected and recapped away from possible contamination through touch, respiratory droplets or environmental contaminants. While most connection interfaces for sterile fluid transfer focus on modifying the tubing being connected to prevent contamination, this technology focuses on the environment where connection occurs instead. It provides a sterile environment through the enclosure and maintains sterility with physical barriers and by replacing the need for human manipulation with magnetically controlled movements. This limits handling and subsequently reduces the likelihood of contamination. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman