Abstract

A Versatile Self-Powered Microfluidic Toolbox: From Sampling to Diagnosis to Therapeutics

Francesco Dal Dosso, Innovation Manager, KU Leuven

At the Biosensors group, we have developed and applied a novel concept to manipulate liquids in a self-powered manner exploiting the advantages of paper- and channel-based microfluidics. This technology, termed (i)SIMPLE, can work both in withdraw and infusion mode being robust, inexpensive, easy to use and fabricate, addressing most of the requirements for a point-of-care (POC) test. Here, we demonstrate the versatility of this platform with 5 different applications: i) an easy to use and inexpensive self-sampling cartridge to precisely meter and dose  fingerprick blood droplets into dried blood spots, a gold standard method for remote sample collection, ii) an autonomous on-chip sample preparation device for blood to plasma separation with lab-quality performance, iii) a tunable and precise passive heating unit ideal for an isothermal amplification assay (i.e. RPA) compatible with many lab-on-a-chip approaches, iv) a chip capable of integrating a sandwich ELISA for POC therapeutic drug monitoring of adalimumab in chronic patients affected by autoimmune diseases (i.e. arthritis, Crohn’s) and v) an autonomous and controlled drug/vaccine delivery patch with integrated painless hollow microneedles.