Double win for Bath lab-on-chip innovator Despina Moschou at awards

Dr Moschou, who has developed Lab-on-Chip diagnostic devices including the world’s fastest COVID-19 test while at Bath, was named both 'Innovator of the Year' and 'Mentor of the Year' at a London ceremony.

Following the award ceremony, Dr Moschou said: “I’m truly delighted to have won these awards. It is a really pleasing recognition of the work we do at Bath. We have shown that the high-quality portable diagnostic devices we are developing have the potential to make a huge impact to healthcare globally by allowing conditions to be detected quickly and without the need for time-consuming lab work.

“I’m delighted to have been named Mentor of the Year. Seeing people develop and become more confident and capable is one of the most gratifying parts of my job.”

Based in Bath’s Department for Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Dr Moschou is a member of the Centre for Bioengineering & Biomedical Technologies (CBio), and was recently elected a Fellow of EAMBES, a leading European medical and biological engineering association.

The awards were given for her work to innovate in the creation of portable medical devices, which use printed circuit boards to make rapid, accurate diagnoses of a range of conditions; and for her mentoring and leadership.

As well as the portable LoCKAmp COVID-sensing device, which within three minutes completes ‘gold standard’ genetic-based testing techniques previously only possible in a lab, Dr Moschou has filed eight patents relating to lab-on-chip microsystems, lab-on-printed circuit board and diagnostic technologies. She has founded two companies, biotIP Ltd and Tesla Diagnostix, which has developed VitaLibra, the world’s first device to use patients’ saliva to accurately monitor glucose levels.

In 2023, Dr Moschou secured UK Research & Innovation funding for the ‘Building Unconventional Engineering Careers: Creating Your Unique Fit’ project, which equips the Bath engineering graduates from diverse background with entrepreneurial skills.

She also supervises the student engineering team, Team Bath Biodevices without Borders, which has developed a portable water quality monitor to help to rapidly detect and map safe water sources for communities around the world.

A citation at the ceremony said: “Dr Moschou has pioneered a major paradigm shift in the electronics manufacturing industry, transforming printed circuit boards into biomedical microsystems, producing the fastest COVID-19 test in the world. Her international leadership into the translation of lab-on-chip technology into patient benefit has been acknowledged by academia, industry and society.”

Presented by Dame Maggie Philbin, the awards ceremony saw 200 professionals come together to celebrate the exceptional individuals and companies driving innovation and leadership in electronics.