Abstract

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells. Owing to a genetic mutation, the hemoglobin present in the red blood cells is altered in sickle cell disease. As a result, normally biconcave and deformable RBCs become stiff and sickle-shaped when deprived of oxygen, leading to the blockage of blood vessels. This talk describes a microfluidics and cell phone microscopy-based diagnostic platform to identify individuals with sickle hemoglobin in less than an hour under resource-limited settings. Unlike the screening tests currently available, we can distinguish between disease and trait samples using a shape-based diagnostic protocol. The microfluidic chip obviates the need for sample pre-processing, e.g. making blood smears or staining.