Medical technology
engineered for access.
Twese Labs develops low-cost diagnostic and therapeutic technologies grounded in real-world clinical experience in rural settings. Our work begins where commercial medical technology stops.
A research and engineering lab embedded in clinical reality
Twese Labs develops medical technology grounded in day-to-day clinical operations in rural Burundi. In much of sub-Saharan Africa, advanced imaging remains limited outside major urban centers. This is an engineering and access challenge that requires deliberate, mission-driven R&D.
Our work sits at the intersection of biomedical engineering, clinical medicine, and health systems — building tools designed for real constraints: cost, power stability, maintenance, and workforce capacity.
AccessMR
ActiveAccessMR is Twese Labs' low-field MRI initiative focused on designing an affordable system intended for use in low-infrastructure settings.
Conventional MRI systems are expensive and infrastructure-intensive. AccessMR is working toward a simplified design with lower power requirements and maintenance burden.
"The global MRI gap is not driven only by scientific unknowns. It reflects structural constraints like cost, infrastructure, workforce, and maintenance. AccessMR is focused on engineering within those realities."
Why low-cost medical imaging matters globally
The diagnostic imaging gap between high- and low-income countries is among the most severe in global health, with direct consequences for cancer diagnosis, neurological care, and trauma management.
The capital and operational cost of conventional MRI systems places them out of reach for district hospitals in low-income settings, regardless of clinical need.
The majority of the global burden of disease falls in settings with the least diagnostic infrastructure. This is a structural gap, not a temporary one.
Engineering and research priorities
Low-Field MRI Development
Design and prototyping of permanent-magnet MRI systems targeting 0.2T, with a focus on thermally stable Halbach array configurations using stock magnets.
AI-Assisted Diagnostics
Development of machine learning models for image interpretation, with attention to robustness under the image quality constraints of low-field systems.
Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Research into portable, low-cost diagnostic tools, designed for use by community health workers without laboratory infrastructure.
Health Systems & Financing
Operational research on care delivery models and innovative healthcare financing in African contexts including dividend-backed primary care structures.
Publications, awards, and conference work
Twese Labs is committed to open publication of research findings. Below is a current record of our academic and conference outputs.
AccessMR selected as Honoree — American Medical Student Association National Conference, Washington, DC
2nd Place — Harvard African Healthcare Conference Abstract Competition
Abstract accepted and published — ISMRM/ISMRI 2026, Cape Town, South Africa
"Computational Design of a Thermally Stable Halbach Array Targeting 0.2T for Low-Field MRI Using Stock Magnets"
"Innovative Healthcare Financing in Africa: Investment-Backed Primary Care in Rural Burundi"
We are actively seeking research and engineering partners
Academic Institutions
We seek partnerships with medical physics, biomedical engineering, and global health departments for joint research, student placements, and co-authorship on publications.
Engineering Partners
We are actively looking for hardware engineers, RF specialists, and embedded systems developers to contribute to the AccessMR prototype development.
Clinical Research Partners
We welcome collaborations with hospitals, IRBs, and academic institutions to support ethics-reviewed evaluation and implementation research in African health settings.
Interested in contributing to AccessMR or our research program?
We are looking for biomedical engineers, medical physicists, global health researchers, and clinical partners to advance our work. If your expertise aligns with our mission, we want to hear from you.