FOS Future Lab: How Randox reads your blood like race telemetry

The engineering that makes this possible is the biochip. A traditional blood test measures one thing; you get one number back. Randox’s biochip is a small solid surface printed with an array of separate tests, so a single sample can be checked for dozens of different markers at once.

It’s the lab equivalent of reading a hundred sensor channels off one flying lap instead of watching a single dial. The company’s FOS Future Lab exhibit, RanChip Insight 360, demonstrated analysing hundreds of biomarkers to model health risk across more than 150 conditions.

You have probably already benefited from the underlying tech without knowing it. “Most people, if not everyone in this room, will have actually had a Randox test at some stage in their lives, providing they’ve had a blood test,” Coyle said. The firm’s tests are sold to labs and hospitals in 145 countries, and it claims to make more than 12 per cent of the world’s cholesterol tests.  

Why more channels beats one dial

The case for measuring lots of things at once, rather than one thing precisely, was the heart of the session — and it’s a data-science argument as much as a medical one.

Dr Gary Smith, an experienced GP, believes disease leaves a signal in the data long before it produces a symptom. “That heart attack at 55 did not start in the morning you had chest pain for the first time. It maybe started at 35,” he said.

Smith cites lipoprotein(a), a cholesterol-carrying particle that a standard cholesterol test does not report. It is largely inherited, so a good diet and clean lifestyle will not shift it. Coyle claims one in five people worldwide carry an elevated level, with many completely unaware.

Four dimensions instead of one

The same logic drives Randox’s prostate test that reads four markers over a standard check that reads one. For decades that standard has been the PSA blood test — useful, Smith said, “but it has significant limitations.” A single number can be nudged up or down by infection, inflammation or even body weight.

The biochip version retains PSA and adds three additional markers, then combines them into a single risk score — the difference between judging an engine from one gauge compared to a full telemetry health check. Smith claims this new approach has been validated in medical journals.

A grain of salt with your biomarkers

A note of caution: doctors generally disagree about how much testing healthy people should have. More channels risk more anomalies, and not every anomaly needs chasing. Additionally, none of it replaces your own GP.

But the core idea travels well from the pit wall to the clinic. “The actual diagnosis of a disease is really the final chapter of a story that has been written for years before,” said Smith. “Don’t wait for symptoms.”

Randox is a global leader in diagnostics, revolutionising patient outcomes through innovative technologies, including its patented biochip technology. This pioneering diagnostic platform allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers from a single sample, delivering faster, more accurate, and comprehensive results. Operating in over 145 countries, Randox develops advanced laboratory instruments, high-quality reagents, and innovative testing solutions to improve global healthcare.

Randox Health brings this cutting-edge technology directly to individuals, offering bespoke, preventative health testing programs. With world-class laboratories and personalised health insights, Randox Health enables early detection of a wide range of conditions, helping individuals take control of their health.

Together, Randox and Randox Health are redefining diagnostics and preventative healthcare. For more information, visit www.randox.com and www.randoxhealth.com.

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Main image photography by Charlie Brenninmeijer.