Analytical Validation of Minimally Invasive Capillary Blood Microsampling using Tasso+ for Multiplexed Neurological Biomarkers

Owen Swann, Sophie Hicks, Caleigh Lynch, Amie Wallman-Jones, Maryam Shoai, Rachel Mulvaney, Bárbara Fernandes Gomes, Eleftheria Kodosaki, Margherita Tecilla, Mazdak Ghajari, Ben Jones, Simon Kemp, Richard Sylvester, Matt Cross, Keith Stokes, Mathew G Wilson, David K Menon, Amanda Heslegrave, Henrik Zetterberg, David J Sharp, Thomas D Parker

medRxiv, 2026

Abstract

Venous blood sampling is logistically challenging in field research and remote or participant-led settings, limiting biomarker studies of brain injury outside clinical environments. We evaluated Tasso+, an upper-arm capillary blood collection device, for measuring neurological and host-response biomarkers relevant to brain injury research. Samples were collected before exercise, immediately after, and 24-36 hours later, with some Tasso+ samples processed after a 72-hour room-temperature delay to simulate remote collection and postal transport. Results were compared against matched venous blood and Capitainer SEP10 dried plasma spots, using Quanterix Simoa and Alamar NULISAseq CNS panels. Tasso+ enabled reliable measurement of several key neurological biomarkers, including after delayed processing, supporting its use for biomarker studies where venepuncture is impractical, such as pitch-side sports research and participant-led remote sampling.

Cite as (BibTeX)

@article{swann-2026-analytical-validation-of,
  title={Analytical Validation of Minimally Invasive Capillary Blood Microsampling using Tasso+ for Multiplexed Neurological Biomarkers},
  author={Owen Swann and Sophie Hicks and Caleigh Lynch and Amie Wallman-Jones and Maryam Shoai and Rachel Mulvaney and B{\'a}rbara Fernandes Gomes and Eleftheria Kodosaki and Margherita Tecilla and Mazdak Ghajari and Ben Jones and Simon Kemp and Richard Sylvester and Matt Cross and Keith Stokes and Mathew G Wilson and David K Menon and Amanda Heslegrave and Henrik Zetterberg and David J Sharp and Thomas D Parker},
  journal={medRxiv},
  year={2026},
  doi={10.64898/2026.05.15.26353201}
}