3D printing and milling a real-time PCR device for infectious disease diagnostics

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Medical Diagnostics
• 3D Printing

Background:

• Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is crucial for diagnosing infectious diseases, identifying pathogens, and determining infection levels.
• Current qPCR devices are expensive and complex, limiting their field use for rapid diagnosis.
• Accessibility to advanced diagnostic tools is essential for global health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore 3D manufacturing methods for fabricating a low-cost, portable qPCR device.
• To enhance accessibility of qPCR technology for point-of-care diagnostics.
• To enable rapid, on-site diagnosis of infectious diseases in remote or resource-limited settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D manufacturing techniques to create a portable qPCR device with minimized custom parts.
• Integrated reverse-transcription and qPCR steps for RNA quantification.
• Automated thermal control and fluorescence reading using a microcontroller and closed-loop feedback.
• Tested the device with lentivirus samples (HIV model) at various concentrations.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated a portable, battery-operated qPCR device (12 × 7 × 6 cm3, 214 g).
• Demonstrated functionality with 20-μL samples containing lentivirus.
• The device automates the entire diagnostic process from sample to result.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing offers a viable method for producing low-cost, accessible qPCR devices.
• The developed portable qPCR device can facilitate rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases like HIV and malaria.
• Sharing digital design files online can democratize access to advanced diagnostic technologies globally.