Paper-based nucleic acid amplification tests for point-of-care diagnostics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Paper is experiencing a resurgence as a substrate for point-of-care diagnostic tests.
• Advanced paper structures enable multi-step fluidic operations, surpassing limitations of traditional lateral flow immunoassays.
• This has spurred interest in paper-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for sensitive disease diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze the current development status of paper-based point-of-care NAATs.
• To conceptualize paper-based NAATs as miniaturized chemical processes.
• To elucidate operational schemes for integrating multi-step chemical processes into paper microfluidic devices.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent advancements in paper microfluidics for diagnostic applications.
• Analysis of operational strategies for converting complex chemical assays into paper-based formats.
• Identification of key challenges hindering the commercialization of paper-based NAATs.

Main Results:

• Paper microfluidic devices can perform complex, multi-step fluidic operations.
• Novel schemes exist for translating laboratory-based NAATs into portable, paper-based formats.
• Significant progress has been made in developing paper-based NAATs as miniaturized chemical processes.

Conclusions:

• Paper-based NAATs represent a promising avenue for sensitive, low-cost, point-of-care diagnostics.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges related to integration, standardization, and commercial viability.
• The field is advancing towards fully functional and commercially available paper-based NAAT solutions.