Low-cost lab-on-a-chip

UNSW PhD candidate Ryan Pawell has developed a method intended to cut the costs of microfluidic devices used for diagnostics. He and his colleagues have published their research in the journal Biomicrofluidics.

“Microfluidic chips are kind of like the same chips found in your computer, but instead of wires, they use channels to process fluid instead of electricity,” explained Pawell.

“The big problem with microfluidics is the devices are expensive, difficult to manufacture and unreliable,” he added. Some devices cost up to $1000 each.

Pawell’s research includes a technique for making lab-on-a-chip devices using low-cost materials, such as plastic, and simple processes; software which automatically detects any defects; and an imaging technique for examining how suspended objects like bubbles or cells flow within the devices at over 10,000 frames/s.

“The final standalone device allowed for volumetric flow rates of 660 μL min^-1 while reducing the manufacturing time to <1 h,” the researchers said.

The chips contain an array of 40,000 posts that are one-tenth the thickness of human hair. The posts are arranged into channels to separate and route small amounts of fluid to different outlets on the chip. The chips can thus be used to isolate red and white blood cells, for example.

While it presently takes around 15 minutes to press a chip with the technique, Pawell believes the use of injection mould manufacturing could bring the time per device down to seconds rather than minutes. He also believes that volume manufacturing of microfluidic devices using his method could be less than five years away.

“I’m really optimistic about this technology,” said Pawell. “I think it’s going to have a huge impact on healthcare, and I’m actively looking for applications in HIV and cancer.”

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