Lab on a stick: multi-analyte cellular assays in a microfluidic dipstick.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Diagnostics

Background:

• Conventional dipstick tests lack the performance for complex assays.
• Microfluidic devices offer high performance but are often complex and costly.
• There is a need for simple, portable, and multiplexed diagnostic platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel
• Lab-on-a-Stick
• microfluidic concept for multi-analyte testing in a dipstick format.
• To demonstrate the utility of this platform for challenging multiplexed cellular assays.
• To present a more accurate model for predicting fluid flow in microfluidic capillaries.

Main Methods:

• Development of the
• Lab-on-a-Stick
• platform combining dipstick simplicity with microfluidic capabilities.
• Performance evaluation using three multiplexed cellular assays: ABO blood typing, microbial identification, and antibiotic minimum inhibitory (MIC) concentration measurement.
• Application of a pressure balance model to predict superficial flow velocities in capillaries, comparing it with the Lucas-Washburn equation.

Main Results:

• The
• Lab-on-a-Stick
• platform successfully performed multiplexed assays including blood typing, microbial identification, and MIC determination.
• A pressure balance model accurately predicted capillary flow velocities, outperforming the conventional Lucas-Washburn equation.
• The device demonstrated suitability for particulate sample analysis, such as cells.

Conclusions:

• The
• Lab-on-a-Stick
• platform offers a cost-effective, simple, portable, and flexible solution for multiplexed assays.
• This technology represents a new generation of advanced yet affordable point-of-care tests for global diagnostics.
• The developed model provides improved accuracy for microfluidic flow prediction.