18 GHP Q4 2022 Mawi DNA Technologies’ innovative, non-invasive biosample collection technologies are designed for universal sample collection from any population segment, including animals, and they allow samples to be transported and stored at room temperature. The iSWAB™ biosample collection products are uniquely designed to allow for release of samples from almost any swab into a proprietary buffer, and can be used for simple or complex applications and multiomics-based analysis. Mawi DNA Technologies’ Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer, Dr Bassam El-Fahmawi was at the start of his career working in clinical laboratories when his daughter was diagnosed with meningitis while only two-years-old. She had to undergo many blood tests, but it was very difficult for doctors to collect blood samples due to her narrow, fragile veins. It was even harder for her parents to helplessly watch her endure repeated painful blood draws and collapsing veins. It came to a point where there were no more veins available for sampling and drug administration, which forced the doctor to insert a cannula above her ankle as a last resort. It was then that Dr ElFahmawi became determined to develop a better, less invasive way to collect samples, with hopes to spare other children and parents of this trauma. After nearly a decade of focused effort and much trial and error, Dr El-Fahmawi was able to develop and commercialise the iSWAB™ sample collection system, founding his company, Mawi DNA Technologies. Now with 25 years’ experience in genomics, Dr El-Fahmawi holds several patents for simplifying nucleic acid purification technology. He says, “I strongly believe that science is simple and needs to be approached accordingly. Removing barriers to enable interdisciplinary collaborations is critical for accelerating innovation and driving new discoveries! I’m open to scientific collaborations and partnerships.” To get to where it is today in terms of its technology, Mawi DNA Technologies has overcome problems of low recovery, high bacterial DNA contamination, sheared DNA, and excessive resampling costs common to most current non-invasive sample collection methods for human and animal DNA. The innovative design of the iSWAB™ collection device allows the release of samples captured from any swab into a proprietary lysis and stabilising buffer. The combination of the mechanistic release of cells and proprietary lysis buffer allows for the collection of a high amount of sample in a concentrated manner from one or more swabs in a small amount of lysis buffer while yielding significantly lower bacterial DNA contamination. The iSWAB™ collection system is designed to facilitate self or assisted swab-based sample collection and concentration from a single or multiple swabs into a single tube for room temperature transport and long-term storage. In addition, the iSWAB™ collection system is optimised for both manual and common automated sample preparation liquid handling workstations. Indeed, this technology is doing a world of good for the industry with clients expressing their delight, with The Orangutan Conservation Genetics Project Inc. saying, “MAWI’s kits have been a huge hit with the orangutan keepers who tested them out! We are so impressed – and very grateful – for MAWI’s innovations. I think this is going to be great moving forward.” Volunteers from a world-renowned clinic said, “I liked this collection method. Easy to use, good instructions. This was the most pleasant saliva collection device I’ve used so far. I liked this one. Average rating 4 out of 4; and 9 out of 10 volunteers recommended the use of this device.” Company: Mawi DNA Technologies Contact: Dr. Bassam El-Fahmawi Email: [email protected] Website: www.mawidna.com Leading Innovators of Biosample Collection Technology 2022 Jul22365
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