KL-P1Assay science
Antigen detection
How antigen tests respond across viral load, sample type and variant, and which factors most limit their sensitivity in home use.
Independent, privately funded diagnostics research · Montreal
The lab test,
re-engineered for the kitchen table.
Kyva Labs studies how rapid diagnostic tests perform outside the laboratory, and how to make at-home and point-of-care testing more accurate, more consistent and more useful to the people who rely on it.
Lateral flow immunoassaysAntigen detectionAntibody serologyBiomarker quantificationOptical readoutSample collectionHuman factorsSignal processingAssay stabilityConnected diagnostics
Mission
A test taken at home should be as trustworthy as one run in a clinical lab. Today it rarely is. We are working to close that gap.
Our vision
Testing that meets people where they are
We see a future where reliable diagnostic information is available in homes, pharmacies, remote communities and clinics without a laboratory. Where people can test early, understand what their result means, and share it with their care team with confidence.
What we're working toward
Better evidence for decentralised diagnostics
Our research builds the scientific and engineering groundwork that decentralised testing needs: a clearer understanding of where rapid tests lose accuracy, methods to measure their performance in realistic conditions, and technologies that make results easier to read and act on.
Evidence before claims
We test our ideas against reference methods and publish what holds up, including what doesn't.
Designed for real users
Bench conditions are not kitchen conditions. We design for unsteady hands, poor lighting and limited time.
Access matters
A diagnostic only helps if people can afford it, find it and use it. Cost and simplicity are research goals.
Privacy by default
Health data belongs to the person it describes. Anything we build treats it that way from the start.
The problem
Where at-home testing falls short
Rapid tests changed what is possible outside the clinic. They also exposed how much depends on conditions the test designer cannot control.
01 · Interpretation
Faint lines, uncertain answers
Most rapid tests are read by eye. A faint line near the limit of detection can be read as positive by one person and negative by another.
02 · Procedure
Small steps, big effects
Sample volume, timing and swabbing technique all shift results. Instructions written for a lab technician don't always translate to a first-time user.
03 · Information
Yes or no isn't enough
Many conditions are better tracked as levels over time than as a single yes or no. Most home tests can't capture that, and their results rarely reach a clinician.
04 · Environment
Storage and handling
Heat, humidity and shelf life affect reagent performance. Tests shipped across climates may not behave as they did during validation.
05 · Timing
The right test at the wrong time
Biomarker levels change over the course of an illness. Testing too early or reading too late can miss what a correctly timed test would find.
06 · Access
Uneven availability
Rural, remote and under-served communities often have the least access to laboratory testing and stand to gain the most from reliable alternatives.
Research programs
Six programs, one question: can people trust the result?
Our work is organised into programs that each address a part of the testing chain, from the sample to the decision it informs.
KL-P2Assay science
Immunoassay performance
The chemistry behind rapid tests: label particles, capture antibodies, membrane properties and how each one shapes the final signal.
KL-P3Engineering
Signal & readout
Methods for capturing test results objectively and consistently, so the same test gives the same answer regardless of who reads it.
KL-P4Pre-analytics
Sample collection
Self-collection of nasal, saliva and capillary blood samples, and how collection quality affects downstream accuracy.
KL-P5Human factors
Usability & instructions
How people actually perform tests at home: where they deviate from instructions, which errors matter, and how design can prevent them.
KL-P6Data & systems
Connected diagnostics
Secure ways for results to be recorded, tracked over time and shared with a care provider when the person chooses to.
Test formats
The tests we study
Rapid tests cover a wide range of targets and sample types. These are the categories our research draws on.
| Category | Example targets | Sample | Typical result today | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory antigen | SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, RSV | Nasal swab | Visual · yes/no | Faint early-infection lines are often misread |
| Strep & bacterial antigen | Group A Streptococcus | Throat swab | Visual · yes/no | Results guide whether antibiotics are needed |
| Reproductive hormones | hCG, LH, FSH | Urine | Visual · yes/no | Levels over time carry more meaning than a single read |
| Inflammation markers | C-reactive protein (CRP) | Capillary blood | Instrument · semi-quantitative | Helps separate bacterial from viral infection |
| Cardiac markers | Troponin, NT-proBNP | Capillary blood | Instrument · quantitative | Requires precise thresholds; mostly clinic-only today |
| Antibody serology | IgG / IgM against infectious agents | Capillary blood | Visual · yes/no | Shows past exposure and immune response |
| Metabolic & nutritional | HbA1c, vitamin D, ferritin | Capillary blood | Lab or instrument | Chronic conditions need regular, comparable results |
This table describes test categories in general use. Kyva Labs does not manufacture or sell diagnostic tests and does not provide test results to the public.
Approach
How a question becomes a result
Every project follows the same path from an observed problem to evidence that a solution works.
1
Define
Identify a specific failure point in real-world testing and the measurement that would show it improving.
2
Characterise
Study existing tests and technologies at the bench to understand their behaviour and limits.
3
Prototype
Build and iterate on methods, software and hardware that address the problem directly.
4
Evaluate
Compare against reference instruments and methods under controlled and realistic conditions.
5
Partner
Work with manufacturers and clinical groups to carry what proves out toward real use.
Collaborate
Research moves faster together
We work with organisations across the diagnostics field. If your work touches rapid testing, we'd like to hear from you.
Industry
Manufacturers & suppliers
We evaluate instruments, reagents and components as part of our research, and look for long-term technology partners.
- Technology evaluations
- Pilot and benchmarking studies
- Co-development and OEM
Academia
Universities & institutes
We collaborate with research groups in biochemistry, engineering and public health on shared questions.
- Joint research projects
- Student research placements
- Shared methods and datasets
Clinical
Clinicians & public health
Clinical input keeps our research tied to the decisions test results are meant to support.
- Defining clinical needs
- Study design input
- Community testing programs
Reference-basedEvery evaluation is benchmarked against an established method.
DocumentedProtocols and results are recorded so they can be reproduced.
ConfidentialPartner materials and data are handled under agreement.
BilingualWe work in English and French.
Questions
Frequently asked
What kind of organisation is Kyva Labs?
Kyva Labs is an independent, privately funded research lab based in Montreal. We develop diagnostic technologies for at-home and point-of-care testing, with the goal of bringing them to market through industry partnerships. Our work spans assay science, engineering and human factors.
Do you sell tests or provide results?
No. We are a research organisation. We don't sell diagnostic tests to the public, process patient samples, or provide medical results or advice.
Which technologies do you evaluate?
We work with commercially available rapid tests, readers and laboratory reference instruments, along with components such as membranes, label particles and optical modules. Evaluations are run under documented protocols.
How do partnerships usually start?
Most begin with an evaluation or pilot study of a specific product or method. If the results align with our research, we discuss longer-term collaboration, co-development or supply.
Do you take on students?
We are open to hearing from students in biochemistry, biomedical engineering, computer science and related fields who are interested in diagnostics research.
Contact
Let's talk about testing.
Manufacturers, researchers, clinicians and students: write to us with a short description of your work and how you'd like to collaborate. We reply within a few business days.
Email
contact@kyvalabs.com
Location
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Inquiries
EvaluationsPartnershipsResearchStudents