Brain Injury Awareness Month is personal to our company because a brain injury is the reason Quadrant Biosciences and Quadrant Laboratories exist today. It began over a decade ago in a cold ice rink in Upstate New York. Rich Uhlig, who would later found Quadrant, was watching a youth hockey game when his son suffered a severe concussion. Frustrated with the diagnosis and management of his son’s concussion, he was determined to do something about it.
“There needed to be a better, more exact way to diagnose concussions. I started Quadrant in 2015 in Syracuse, NY on the foundation of improving the lives of children and families,” Uhlig said.
Uhlig poured himself into research about traumatic brain injuries and best practices for diagnosing and managing them. He set out to develop new concussion tools but plans quickly changed when he moved Quadrant to the SUNY Upstate Medical University campus, where their highly regarded concussion clinic and motion analysis lab are located. While on campus, Uhlig was introduced to a researcher and professor named Dr. Frank Middleton and his then-graduate student, Dr. Steve Hicks, who had stumbled upon an exciting discovery: Biomarkers found in saliva that were reflective of brain function.
“Saliva, as it turns out, is a treasure trove for molecules that might reflect brain function,” said Dr. Middleton. “We felt that was a key component for the development of a test that is going to essentially be evaluating a change in brain function.”
At the time, Dr. Middleton’s and Dr. Hick’s research was focused on the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recognizing the groundbreaking nature of these findings, and the potential utility for other neurological conditions including mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), Quadrant entered into a partnership with SUNY Upstate to support and expand their research.
Fast forward to 2023, after years of research, development, peer-reviewed publications, and a patent, Quadrant will soon be turning this discovery into a viable commercial product, Clarifi mTBI
Clarifi mTBI, a concussion saliva test will be the first of its kind epigenetic test to aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of concussion. With Clarifi mTBI doctors will have a way to objectively and biologically assess and manage concussions! Adding this technology to current concussion protocols could literally be a game-changer!
Clarifi mTBI is on track to launch in New York State by the end of 2023 followed by a nationwide rollout in 2024.
If you’re interested in licensing this technology or would like more details on our progress visit this link
