Rosa Biotech raised nearly $1 million to build its technology platform.

University of Bristol (UoB) spinout Rosa Biotech is developing bio-sensing technology based on the ability of dogs to smell malaria, Parkinson’s and other diseases. Unlike most diagnostic tests that are customized to detect a specific, indicative molecule, the Rosa platform uses numerous non-specific sensor molecules to detect a signature for a range of different molecules, making the technology suitable for a wide range of sensing and diagnostic applications.

The technology relies on specially designed, barrel-shaped proteins that resemble receptors in the mammalian olfactory system, but is simpler and easier to handle. Each “barrel” is loaded with a dye, which is dislodged if relevant molecules, such as those indicative of disease, are present, producing colored patterns that are analyzed using machine learning. The goal is to use the data from healthy and diseases samples to build sensors for early-stage disease diagnosis.

Rosa Biotech is working with several clinicians and drug manufactures as it works to commercialize the technology. The results it has achieved to date appear to be promising to investors. The company recently completed an investment round, raising nearly $1 million in Angel funding from local businesses — one of the largest founding investments for any UoB spinout.