\n\ud83d\udde8\ufe0f \u201cIn short: everything to do with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are compounds that are mostly in the gas phase at room temperature. To most people, they\u2019re the molecules that give everyday things their smell \u2013 pleasant or otherwise. To us, they\u2019re also a rich source of information about health. <\/em>Our focus is on the human volatilome \u2013 all of the VOCs given off by the body. These compounds can tell us a lot. For example, changes in the volatilome can signal an infection or show how the body is coping with illness. In some cases, the presence of a single molecule might even indicate a chronic disease.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/medicentre\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/675\/2025\/10\/Image-for-header.png\")
<\/figure>\n\ud83d\udcac That sounds powerful. How do you see this being used in healthcare?<\/strong> \ud83d\udcac And why choose Cardiff Medicentre as your base?<\/strong> \ud83d\udcac Thanks Matt \u2013 it\u2019s been great to catch up.<\/strong><\/p>\n MCBA Consulting is a perfect match for the Medicentre community. Their plans reflect exactly what our space is designed for: connecting entrepreneurs, researchers, and clinicians to drive healthcare innovation.<\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\udde8\ufe0f \u201cOur long-term aim is non-invasive screening and monitoring. Instead of blood draws or swabs, clinicians could read a chemical \u2018fingerprint\u2019 in the air around a wound, from a breath sample, or from the skin. It\u2019s faster, easier, and more comfortable for patients. <\/em>We\u2019re also continuing our collaboration with Dr Sarah Hooper\u2019s group at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Together, we\u2019ve been identifying VOCs linked to bacterial infection, and the active ingredients in essential oils that inhibit or kill bacteria.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\udde8\ufe0f \u201cIt\u2019s a great fit for us. The Medicentre is all about bringing health science entrepreneurs and researchers together, and that collaborative spirit is exactly what we need for the next stage of our work. <\/em>Being next to the University Hospital of Wales also helps. It gives us the chance to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new ones. For us, the move isn\u2019t just about lab space \u2013 it\u2019s about being in the right place to turn VOC-based health monitoring into real tools for clinicians.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n