Pipette-operable microfluidic devices with hydrophobic valves in sequential dispensing with various liquid samples:...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Background:

• Microfluidic devices for point-of-care testing (POCT) face integration challenges due to complex equipment requirements.
• Precise liquid handling is crucial for reliable diagnostic assays in POCT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a user-friendly, pipette-operable microfluidic device for POCT applications.
• To enable precise, sequential dispensing and isolation of liquids for multiple reactions.
• To demonstrate the device's capability for rapid, multi-disease diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microfluidic device using 3D printing technology.
• Integration of three reaction chambers and three hydrophobic valves for controlled liquid flow.
• Optimization of valve flow resistance and burst pressure for compatibility with standard pipettes.
• Incorporation of lyophilized RT-LAMP primer sets for simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and influenza B.

Main Results:

• The device successfully performs sequential liquid dispensing and isolation into three distinct chambers.
• Hydrophobic valves demonstrate compatibility with standard pipettes and various biological liquids (BSA, DMEM, FBS, plasma, blood).
• The device enables naked-eye or image-based detection of three viral targets within 30 minutes.
• A scalable design with 20 reaction chambers was conceptualized for advanced multi-disease diagnostics.

Conclusions:

• The 3D-printed, pipette-operable microfluidic device offers a simplified solution for POCT.
• This technology facilitates efficient, multiplexed molecular diagnostics with rapid, visually interpretable results.
• The device shows significant potential for broad applications in infectious disease screening and diagnostics.