Oxford, UK – Oxford MediStress today announced new findings supporting the utility of its Leukocyte CopingCapacity™ (LCC™) test as a promising biomarker for monitoring immunological resilience and stress-related disease risk across species, including veterinary applications and high-performance human athletes.

The announcement follows a recent peer-reviewed publication by equine researchers led by Dagmar Trachsel at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. The study evaluated the LCC assay in the context of stress physiology and its relationship to immune system responsiveness in horses, reporting that LCC may serve as a valuable indicator of stress-associated disease susceptibility and physiological coping capacity.

The findings, published in BMC Veterinary Research (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-05179-9), contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting that functional immune assays such as LCC can provide real-time insight into an organism’s ability to adapt to physiological and environmental stressors, beyond what conventional biomarkers alone can offer.

Advancing Stress and Immunity Monitoring

The LCC test, developed by Oxford MediStress, measures the ability of immune cells, particularly leukocytes, to respond to oxidative burst stimulation, providing a functional readout of immune readiness and stress load. Unlike static biomarkers, LCC is designed to reflect dynamic changes in physiological resilience.

According to the study authors, variations in LCC values were associated with differences in stress exposure and health outcomes, supporting its potential application in both clinical veterinary settings and performance monitoring contexts.

Implications for Veterinary and Performance Science

The research highlights several potential applications for LCC technology, including:

• Early detection of stress-related immune dysregulation in animals
• Monitoring welfare and resilience in livestock and companion animals
• Supporting performance management in equine and canine athletics
• Exploring translational applications in human high-performance populations

“These findings reinforce the value of functional immune diagnostics in understanding how stress impacts health and performance,” Oxford MediStress CEO Dr David Sarphie said. “We are encouraged by the growing scientific interest in LCC and its potential to bridge immunology, veterinary medicine, and performance science.”

Oxford, UK – Oxford MediStress (OMS) is pleased to announce that a major US university has acquired a Leukocyte CopingCapacity™ (LCC™) test system to support research into recovery, resilience, and return-to-play decision-making following sports-related injuries.

The installation marks another important step in the growing adoption of the LCC assay as a tool for measuring immunological resilience and physiological coping capacity in high-performance environments.

Developed by Oxford MediStress, the LCC test provides a functional assessment of immune cell responsiveness, offering researchers a dynamic measure of how individuals respond to physiological stress. Originally developed for applications in stress biology and animal welfare, the technology is increasingly attracting interest from sports scientists seeking objective biomarkers of recovery and adaptation.

Sports scientists and researchers will use the system to investigate how immune function changes following sports injury and throughout the recovery process. The work is expected to contribute to a better understanding of the biological factors that influence rehabilitation outcomes and readiness to return to training and competition.

"Elite sport increasingly recognizes that successful recovery is about more than healing injured tissues," said Dr David Sarphie, CEO at Oxford MediStress. "The immune system plays a critical role in recovery and adaptation. We are delighted that this major US university has selected the LCC platform to explore these important questions."

The acquisition reflects growing scientific interest in functional immune biomarkers as tools for monitoring athlete health, training load, resilience, and recovery. Unlike conventional measurements that provide static snapshots of physiology, the LCC assay evaluates the capacity of leukocytes to respond to challenge, providing insight into the body's current coping capacity.

Oxford MediStress has previously demonstrated the utility of LCC across a range of applications, including animal welfare assessment, conservation biology, veterinary medicine, and human performance research. Recent peer-reviewed studies have further highlighted the value of LCC as a marker of stress-associated disease risk and physiological resilience.

"We look forward to supporting the research team and to seeing how LCC can advance our understanding of recovery biology in athletes," added Dr Sarphie.

As the fields of sports medicine and performance science continue to seek objective measures of recovery and readiness, Oxford MediStress believes that functional immune monitoring will play an increasingly important role in optimizing athlete health and performance.

New project will see testing of the proprietary LCC™ system in the offshore oil and gas sector

Oxford, UK, 13 September 2023 — Oxford MediStress Ltd, the Oxford-based health and wellness company commercialising the patented Leukocyte CopingCapacity™ (LCC™) system for monitoring stress in the workplace, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) contract. The contract will focus on use of the LCC as part of a larger push to improve access to Occupational Health (OH) services, particularly for UK small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Oxford MediStress and its partner Divity Health submitted a proposal in response to the “SBRI competition jointly funded by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC): Increasing access to and capacity in Occupational Health: Phase 1” call for proposals earlier this year. Their proposal, titled: “WorkWeLCC™ platform to improve access to OH services and improve worker health and work participation in SMEs”, outlines an eight-month project that will include a trial to assess the LCC for use in the offshore oil and gas sector.

The LCC is a groundbreaking diagnostic test which provides a direct way to objectively monitor stress levels, which is important in many high-stress occupations. Using just a single drop of blood taken from a finger prick, OH technicians will now be able to gauge an individual’s stress levels in a ten-minute test that can be conducted on-site.

Dr David Sarphie, Oxford MediStress CEO, stated, “Our primary goal is to make this innovative test user-friendly so that it can be rolled out throughout the Occupational Health sector, transforming the way that employees and individuals who may have stress and anxiety issues are monitored and treated.”

The implications for the offshore oil and gas sector are significant. Use of LCC on a regular basis will help organisations better understand and manage employee stress levels and reduce stress in workers. This is particularly important in high stress conditions like those often faced by oil rig workers.

Oxford MediStress, led by Dr David Sarphie, is actively seeking investment to increase the reach of its commercial team and further its product development efforts, which includes expanding use of LCC for animal welfare and conservation activities, as well. By broadening the test’s reach, the company aims to enhance the well-being of humans and animals alike across the globe.

For more information about the LCC test or potential investment opportunities, please contact Dr David Sarphie; email: admin@oxford-medistress.com.

One Drop of Blood is All it Takes to Transform Wildlife Conservation, Petcare, and Farming Practices

Oxford, UK, 18 August 2023 — A groundbreaking diagnostic test known as the Leukocyte CopingCapacity™ (LCC™) test is revolutionizing our understanding of animal stress levels. Using just a single drop of blood taken from an ear or paw prick, researchers can now accurately gauge an animal’s stress levels.

The LCC test, pioneered by leukocyte expert Dr Rubina Mian and Professor David Macdonald of the University of Oxford’s zoology department, has already been implemented in over 25 different species, ranging from the Kulan of Outer Mongolia and turtles in Costa Rica to wild Brown Bears airlifted and released, and the majestic White-tailed Eagle.

“LCC revolutionises point of care diagnostics and animal welfare,” said Veterinary Expert Dr Nikolaus Huber, from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria. Being a 10-minute mobile test, it is viable even in the most remote corners of the world. Dr Huber has used it extensively in his work with endangered species globally.

Dr David Sarphie, the CEO of Oxford MediStress, the company behind the LCC test, stated, “Our primary goal is to make this innovative test user-friendly. We’re on the brink of transforming not just wildlife conservation, but also the pet care industry and farming practices. And it can help humans too.”

The implications of the LCC test are far-reaching. In addition to wildlife conservation, the test’s application in pet care can lead to more personalized and effective intervention strategies. Within farming, the technique has the potential to optimize production and management practices by promoting animal health and well-being, subsequently improving product quality.

Furthermore, the LCC test is not limited to animals alone. It is currently being utilized to revolutionize working conditions for oil rig workers, helping organizations better understand and manage employee stress levels and reduce stress in workers.

Oxford MediStress, led by Dr David Sarphie, is actively seeking investment to increase the reach of its commercial team and further its research and development efforts and. By broadening the test’s reach, the company aims to enhance the well-being of animals and humans alike across the globe.

admin@oxford-medistress.comFor more information about the LCC test or potential investment opportunities, please contact Dr David Sarphie; email: admin@oxford-medistress.com

Kulan – an endangered species in Central Asia which has been monitored using the LCC™

As Oxford MediStress continues to expand its team, we welcome Yifei Cao and Xiaomeng Li to the team

An article has been published in the journal, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, which reviews many studies using the LCC test and technique.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2019.00105/full

Huber, N., Marasco, V., Painer, J., Vetter, S. G., Göritz, F., Kaczensky, P., & Walzer, C. (2019).

Leukocyte Coping Capacity: An Integrative Parameter for Wildlife Welfare Within Conservation Interventions.

Frontiers in veterinary science, 6, 105. doi:10.3389/fvets.2019.00105

Copyright © 2019 Huber, Marasco, Painer, Vetter, Göritz, Kaczensky and Walzer.

Table 1 from this paper both provides and is entitled “An overview of studies inferring LCC as a valid proxy to assess stress and welfare in animals”

Open pdf Animal Welfare Studies And References

Oxford MediStress Ltd, a University of Oxford spin-out company commercializing a patented blood test for the rapid, direct, quantitative measurement of stress, announced that its CEO was recently interviewed on a popular health and wellness TV show.

Dr David Sarphie recently appeared on Sky’s “Chrissy B Show”, a popular program devoted to health and wellness subjects. On the show Dr Sarphie discussed his background and described the benefits of Oxford MediStress’s CopingCapacity™ test. The proprietary blood test provides a highly sensitive indication of stress levels, offering the first direct way to monitor and quantify how an individual is coping with their stress. A tiny drop of blood from a finger-prick is mixed with chemicals which mimic a bacterial challenge. The ability of the leukocytes (white blood cells) to respond to such an in vitro challenge is evaluated using a standard laboratory procedure. Results and interpretation are available within minutes, so that action can be taken, if required.

Commenting on the test kit, Dr Sarphie said: “We were thrilled to be invited onto the show to discuss our unique product and how it can be used to help individuals suffering from stress.” The video link can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4tqzf1L–g

View the PDF »

This study demonstrates how immune responsiveness, known to be influenced by psychological stress, can be used to assess changes in mental workload. Healthy male and female subjects provided capillary blood samples before and after completing the same, basic, driver-related tasks followed by a simple manoeuvre in two unfamiliar motor vehicles.

Using the Leukocyte Coping Capacity (LCC) test kit, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species in vitro was assessed. Significant post-stressor changes in leukocyte activity were demonstrated between treatment groups. These findings add weight to the proposition that leukocyte activation is a useful quantitative measure of psychological stress and mental loading in humans. This study demonstrates the diagnostic ability of LCC for use during ergonomic evaluation.

SHELTON-RAYNER G, MIAN R, CHANDLER S, ROBERTSON D, MACDONALD DW (2012) Leukocyte responsiveness, a quantitative assay for subjective mental workload. Int J Industrial Ergonomics 42, 25-33.

View the PDF »

The capability of drivers to accomplish basic tasks utilizing differing sensory modalities while maintaining lane discipline within a computer-simulated environment was assessed. Subjects provided capillary blood samples before and after using three human–machine interface designs—touch-screen, voice control, and multimodal.

Using the Leukocyte Coping Capacity test kit, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species in vitro was assessed. Significant post-stressor changes in leukocyte activity of varying magnitude were observed following the use of all interfaces; with the multimodal interface provoking the most pronounced response and voice control the least. Results support the proposition for using immune responsiveness as a means for quantifying psychological stress.

SHELTON-RAYNER G, MIAN R, CHANDLER S, ROBERTSON D, MACDONALD DW (2011) Quantitative physiological assessment of mental loading via altered immune functioning following interaction with differing automotive interface technologies. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 27 (9), 900–919.

View the PDF »

In this experiment badgers (Meles meles), which were caught as part of an on-going population study, were either transported to a central site prior to blood sampling or blood was collected at their site of capture. Using the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) test kit, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro was assessed.

Transported animals had a significantly lower leukocyte coping capacity score (LCC) and showed changes in leukocyte composition that were indicative of stress. The study concluded that the stress of transport reduced LCC in badgers and that LCC serves as a quantitative measure of stress. Potential applications of this method are discussed.

MCLAREN, G., MACDONALD, D.W., GEORGIOU, C., NEWMAN, C. and MIAN, R. (2003) Leukocyte coping capacity: a novel technique for measuring the stress response in vertebrates Experimental Physiology 88 (4) pp. 541-546 (ISSN: 0958 0607).

View the PDF »

This study assessed the effect of exposure of volunteers to a mild, brief, psychologically stressful event, on the functional ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species in vitro.

Volunteers operated a car electric window and adjusted it to 4 pre-determined positions. Between each operation the mechanism’s polarity was covertly altered (group B) or remained unaltered (group A). For each treatment group 10 different subjects provided capillary blood samples pre- and post-stressor.

Using the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) test kit, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro was assessed. ROS release differed significantly at 10 min post-stressor between treatment groups, suggesting exposure to acute psychological stress leads to a reduced ability to respond to bacterial challenge.

SHELTON-RAYNER G, MIAN R, CHANDLER S, ROBERTSON D, MACDONALD DW (2011) Quantifying transient psychological stress using a novel technique: changes to PMA-induced leukocyte production of ROS in vitro. Int J Occup Safety & Ergonomics (JOSE) 17 (1), 3-13.

View the PDF »

This study, comprising of two phases, suggests that the immune system follows a similar trend. In phase 1: 15 healthy subjects provided capillary blood samples before and after completing three basic tasks using, in turn, two automotive touch screen interfaces (Interface 1 antecedent version, Interface 2—improved version).

Using the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) test kit, the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species in vitro was assessed. Significant differences in leukocyte activity were shown between treatment groups, where the greatest post-test decrease occurred after using Interface 1.

Phase 2: a randomly selected sub-group (n = 4) underwent weekly repeat testing using both interfaces. Significant differences in post-test leukocyte reactivity were exhibited between test weeks for each interface- the magnitude of response decreasing with successive exposure.

SHELTON-RAYNER G, CHANDLER S, ROBERTSON D, MIAN R & MACDONALD DW (2010) Leukocyte reactivity as an objective means of quantifying mental loading during ergonomic evaluation. Cellular Immunology 263, 22–30

View the PDF »