MedTech OneWorld Students e.V.
MedTech OneWorld Students e.V.

LiTUM

Bipolarity: A Global Challenge and the Role of Lithium

Bipolarity, impacting 1% of the global population, manifests as a rollercoaster of manic and depressive episodes. This mental disorder, though challenging, finds a beacon of hope in Lithium. Renowned for its ability to stabilize mood swings, Lithium stands as the gold standard in treating bipolarity. Its affordability further underscores its significance in mental health care. However, effective Lithium treatment hinges on maintaining a therapeutic range of 0.6-1.2 mmol/L in the bloodstream.

This precision necessitates frequent measurements, particularly in the early stages of treatment, to ensure both safety and efficacy.

In many developing countries, the high costs associated with these measurement devices limit access to such precise care. Collaborating with Dr. med. Krahl and his network of psychiatrists in Indonesia, Somalia, and Ethiopia, we’ve pinpointed specifications for a device tailored for effective use in low-income settings.

Our Mission

  • Simple, precise & low-cost
  • Single-use chip made from paper: <1 USD
  • Detector device: <1.000 USD

Our Team:

Comprising ten dedicated students from diverse engineering disciplines, our team is united in its commitment to innovate for mental health accessibility.

Acknowledgment:

Our journey would not have been possible without the generous support and initial funding from i.nez e.V. (International Network for Cooperation in Mental Health). Their commitment to fostering advancements in mental health care in developing countries has been the cornerstone of our project’s inception and progression.
We also extend our deepest gratitude to the pioneering team that laid the groundwork for this project: Susanne Mayer, Nicolas Nießen, Teodora Raicevic, and Lucas Fabian Mair. Their initial findings have been instrumental in shaping the trajectory of our project.