Anna Shuh and Seren

Offering a 10$ DNA based diagnostic test for blood disorders and cancer. Anna Shuh is a medical doctor, an academic researcher, and a healthcare entrepreneur. She started working at Oxford University in 2006 as the clinical director of the haematology lab at Oxford University Hospitals. In 2014, she was appointed as Professor of Molecular Diagnostics. More recently, Anna joined the Muhimbili University for Health and Allied Sciences faculty in Tanzania and co-founded a social enterprise, Seren. Seren is a social enterprise spin out of Oxford University and aims to promote and support diagnostics in low- and middle-income countries with an initial focus on DNA based tests for blood disorders and cancers. Historically, DNA sequencing required expert staff and high-tech equipment; interpreting tests is slow and expensive, and blood data often needs to be sent overseas to be analysed. The first facility in Dar-es-Salaam has now opened and will offer DNA tests for as little as $10 using low cost and low maintenance equipment, while cloud-based data systems allow remote analysis by experts so that samples do not need to be sent abroad. To prepare for the transfer of all testing to SEREN, Oxford has provided training for laboratory technicians and health professionals from five hospitals in Tanzania and Uganda. MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine (IHTM) - https://www.tropicalmedicine.ox.ac.uk/study-with-us/msc-ihtm