Abstract

The Microfluidics Innovation Hub: Towards Manufacture Scale-Up and Commercialization of Innovative Microfluidic Solutions for Clinical, Industrial, and Research Applications

Divesh Baxani-Kamal, Technical Program Manager, Microfluidics Innovation Hub

The microfluidics innovation hub (MIH) acts as single entry point to the world’s largest platform of microfluidic services helping companies overcome the challenges of developing microfluidic prototypes into commercial products for clinical, industrial, and research applications. Here, we showcase multiple technologies along our value chain towards the manufacture of microfluidic products, in the context of our demo cases and open call projects. We demonstrate the development of assays including aptamer-based ELONA, and convective PCR towards the simultaneous detection of toxins and antibiotics in milk, and COVID and Influenza A antigens in human samples, respectively, as well as the implementation of such assays onto a lab-on-a-cartridge platform integrating fluidic pumping and heating on-chip. Furthermore, we present the development and manufacture of polymer-based microfluidic chips, from simulation-based design of capillary-driven microfluidic structures and surface reagent immobilisation, through to high-volume, low-cost roll-to-roll manufacture possibilities, integrating microfluidic structuring, microspotting, surface modification, and bonding into a continuous production chain. We present this in the context of ongoing projects including serological COVID test employing multiplex micro-ELISA assays, a multiplex enzyme detection kit for bioprocess monitoring and others we’ll discuss approaches, challenges and selection criteria comparing various microfluidics manufacturing technologies including injection molding and future-oriented Roll-to-Roll manufacturing.