3D Simulation-Driven Design of a Microfluidic Immunosensor for Real-Time Monitoring of Sweat Biomarkers

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biosensing Technology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Non-invasive monitoring of pro-inflammatory biomarkers is crucial for early disease detection and management.
• Existing methods often require invasive procedures or lack real-time capabilities.
• Microfluidic devices offer potential for miniaturized, portable diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and simulate a novel microfluidic immunosensor for detecting pro-inflammatory biomarkers in human sweat.
• To integrate magnetofluidic manipulation with direct-field capacitive sensing (DF-CS) for enhanced performance.
• To validate the sensor's operating principle and sensitivity through 3D multiphysics simulations.

Main Methods:

• Design of a patch-like microfluidic device integrating antibody-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and DF-CS.
• 3D multiphysics simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics to model device operation.
• Analysis of sensor response to changes in dielectric properties caused by MNPs.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated operating principle through comprehensive 3D multiphysics simulation.
• Achieved a sensor sensitivity of 42.48% at 85% MNP occupancy.
• Validated the ability to detect MNP concentration variations for indirect biomarker inference with high precision.

Conclusions:

• The novel microfluidic immunosensor design offers a promising approach for continuous, non-invasive health monitoring.
• Integration of magnetofluidics and DF-CS enhances sensitivity and enables compact device design.
• Potential applications include point-of-care diagnostics, personalized medicine, and preventive healthcare.