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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Digital Microfluidics for Automated Proteomic Processing
Published on: November 6, 2009
Reimagining point-of-care assays: Automated digital microfluidics for multiplex in vitro diagnostics
Wenkai Fan1, Donghao Li1, Jingyi Ding1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
Abstract:
In vitro diagnostics (IVD) is critical in disease screening and diagnosis. Point-of-care testing (POCT), which miniaturizes the IVD tests into portable chips and analyzers, offers the opportunity to decentralize the tests and obtain assay results on-site. Digital microfluidics (DMF) holds the merits of a small footprint, high automation, and low cost, making it a powerful tool for implementing various IVD assays for POCT settings. This review aims to consolidate the applications of DMF technology in different POCT settings and provide insights for DMF-based assay development. We first present the mechanism and fabrication processes of DMF technology. We then present its specific POCT applications, including infectious disease monitoring, neonatal disease screening, self-testing of chronic diseases, and routine disease screening. We further discuss the challenges in the development of DMF-based POCT technologies and provide an outlook on this exciting field.
