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Rapid concussion detection using saliva
New medical device removes the guesswork from concussion screening in contact sports using only saliva
Imagine a simple saliva test that makes concussion screening faster and more objective than ever before. Thanks to neurotechnology being developed and piloted by Andrew Cordssen-David (BSc ’22, MBET ’23), co-founder and CEO of HeadFirst, a small, game-changing device aims to remove the uncertainty surrounding head injuries in contact sports and beyond.
“A lot of concussion screening today is still guesswork because of the subjectivity of current assessments. What we’re doing is adding the first objective test into the toolkit of athletic and health care professionals — something they can use to make more informed decisions,” Cordssen-David says.
Saliva contains key biomarkers that have shown strong potential for indicating brain injury. Through a partnership with Waterloo Athletics, HeadFirst is advancing research on its saliva-based device using samples from various University sports teams.
Since news broke of HeadFirst’s breakthrough technology, Cordssen-David shares that Olympic committees, professional sports leagues and other major international sports teams have approached the company.
Cordssen-David credits his time at Waterloo for developing his technical foundation, the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business and Velocity for providing the resources for HeadFirst to take off.
“At Velocity and the Conrad School, you're surrounded by people who want to build solutions to solve really big problems around the world. Being in that ecosystem of founders was extremely valuable in transforming an early idea into a real company.”
Andrew Cordssen-David (BSc ’22, MBET ’23)
Alum, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering
Co-Founder and CEO, HeadFirst
Velocity
Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business
“At Velocity and the Conrad School, you're surrounded by people who want to build solutions to solve really big problems around the world. Being in that ecosystem of founders was extremely valuable in transforming an early idea into a real company.”
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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.
