MC10, Inc., the developer of BioStamp nPoint, an end-to-end system for physiological data collection and analytics, announced today a collaboration with the University of Vermont, a leading academic research institution. This initiative will utilize BioStamp nPoint’s biometric data captured from the lower limbs and the University of Vermont’s biomedical engineering and data science capabilities in creating methods to quantitatively track and analyze changes in gait patterns across a spectrum of disorders, including Huntington’s Disease.
“One’s ability or inability to walk has long been recognized as a key aspect of their health status. Recent advances in objective gait analysis have led to metrics such as gait speed being described as the ‘sixth vital sign,’” commented Dr. Arthur Combs, MD, MC10’s Chief Medical Officer. “In the past, evaluation of gait impairment has largely been subjective, instantaneous, and assessed in a laboratory. The use of BioStamp nPoint will allow researchers to monitor a patient’s gait continuously as they go about their daily lives enabling a better understanding of the patient’s health status.”
The Principal Investigator for this collaboration is Ryan McGinnis, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering and Director of the M-Sense Research Group. Dr. McGinnis is a former employee of MC10 and was instrumental in the development of the fundamental algorithms of the BioStamp platform. At the University of Vermont, Dr. McGinnis continues his work with the BioStamp system with research programs focused on developing new ways to track symptom progression in neurological disorders and measure human biomechanics outside of the laboratory.
“Movement disorders, particularly Huntington’s Disease, are understudied and need better characterization. I am hopeful that the outcomes of this collaboration will lead to a deeper understanding of gait pathology and progression in movement disorders with the potential to positively impact future therapies and the quality of life for patients with these conditions. I look forward to continuing to work with MC10 and the BioStamp nPoint system,” said Dr. McGinnis.
Source: Company Press Release
