An integrated IoT microfluidic platform for vector-borne pathogen detection via closed-loop valve control and...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Public Health

Background:

• Vector-borne diseases represent a significant global health burden, necessitating advanced diagnostic tools.
• Existing microfluidic platforms face challenges in reliable valve control and uniform reagent distribution, limiting their clinical application for arbovirus and malaria detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel Microfluidic Vector-borne Pathogen Detection (MVPD) system.
• To overcome engineering limitations in microfluidic systems for accurate and efficient pathogen detection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a six-reaction tube microfluidic cartridge with a magnetic-actuated multichannel switching valve.
• Implementation of a dual-mode fluid-handling strategy using a peristaltic pump and positive pressure.
• Integration of magnetic separation, thermal cycling, and optical detection for a fully automated sample-in-answer-out workflow.

Main Results:

• Achieved >90% nucleic acid extraction efficiency and reliable amplification of up to 36 targets.
• Completed the entire workflow in approximately 60 minutes with high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility.
• Demonstrated 100% concordance with reference methods in multi-center testing of 417 samples.
• Enabled real-time cloud-based data management for remote monitoring and surveillance.

Conclusions:

• The MVPD system successfully addresses critical challenges in multichannel valve control and fluid distribution.
• Provides a robust, automated solution for vector-borne pathogen detection, enhancing clinical diagnosis and surveillance capabilities.