Resonant microfluidic circuits for assay automation and detection in point-of-care diagnostics

用于护理点诊断中的检测自动化和检测的谐振微流体电路

• 批准号: 1231396
• 负责人: Barry Lutz
• 金额: $ 30.14万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-10-01 至 2016-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1231396&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Resonant; microfluidic; circuits; assay; automation

PI: Lutz, BarryInstitution: University Of WashingtonIntellectual Merit: The field of microfluidics aims to create portable "laboratories" to carry out analytical tests. Devices are typically simple polymer cards that require supporting equipment to control fluids (e.g., pumps, valves, controllers) and detect test results (e.g., imaging). A key challenge for point-of-use medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, bio-threat detection, etc. is reducing the expense and physical burden of the instrumentation. Nearly everyone has a cell phone that could serve as a test instrument- they are ubiquitous, battery-powered, easy-to-use-and they are capable of generating, detecting, and communicating information-rich audio signals. We envision a disposable test card connected to a phone earbud, where audio tones (1) control fluidic steps by "talking" to the card, and (2) quantify test results by "listening" to the output from the card. The principle is based on a classic analogy between electrical and fluidic circuits. In electrical circuits, useful functions are created via simple combinations of resistors, inductors, capacitors, and diodes (e.g., a radio tuner). By using oscillating flows in microscale channels ("AC microfluidics"), we can resurrect functions that we know from electrical circuits. This proposal aims to develop AC microfluidic circuits that perform analytical functions for point-of-use testing. Fluidic versions of classic electrical circuits will be created (e.g., band-pass filters), and measurements of the fluidic circuit frequency response will be compared to electrical circuit models. A "microphone" will be incorporated into cards to measure circuit output, and audio-based sensing circuits will be developed via model-based design and experimental validation. Signal transduction chemistries will be developed that produce physical changes in a circuit component, and the system will be used to detect a malarial biomarker. Broader Impacts: The grant will support student projects in the cross-disciplinary field of global health diagnostics, which offers rich educational experiences that require integration of engineering with broader issues of health, culture, ethics, regulatory procedures, and commercialization in low-resource settings. The global health focus also introduces unique constraints on engineering (simplicity, cost, ease-of-use) that often require creative and simple solutions. Technology for global health needs will be highlighted in public outreach including hands-on exhibition at our annual Engineering Open House. Undergraduate students will participate in design projects to develop card-to-phone interfaces and cell phone "apps" for on-phone data analysis, and the PI will host a group of students in the laboratory as part of the UW STEM Bridge program that aims to encourage underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.

主要研究者：Lutz，Barry机构：华盛顿大学学术成就：微流体领域的目标是创建便携式“实验室”来进行分析测试。装置通常是简单的聚合物卡，其需要支持设备来控制流体（例如，泵、阀、控制器）并检测测试结果（例如，成像）。使用点医疗诊断、环境监测、生物威胁检测等的关键挑战是降低仪器的费用和物理负担。几乎每个人都有一个手机，可以作为一个测试仪器-他们无处不在，电池供电，易于使用-他们能够产生，检测和交流信息丰富的音频信号。我们设想了一种连接到电话耳塞的一次性测试卡，其中音频音调（1）通过与卡“交谈”来控制流体步骤，以及（2）通过“收听”卡的输出来量化测试结果。该原理基于电气和流体电路之间的经典类比。在电路中，有用的功能是通过电阻器、电感器、电容器和二极管（例如，无线电调谐器）。通过在微尺度通道中使用振荡流（“AC微流体”），我们可以恢复我们从电路中了解到的功能。该提案旨在开发AC微流体回路，用于使用点测试的分析功能。将创建经典电路的Fluorescent版本（例如，带通滤波器），并且将流体回路频率响应的测量结果与电路模型进行比较。一个“麦克风”将被纳入卡，以测量电路输出，和音频为基础的传感电路将通过基于模型的设计和实验验证开发。将开发信号转导化学，在电路组件中产生物理变化，该系统将用于检测疟疾生物标志物。更广泛的影响：该补助金将支持全球健康诊断跨学科领域的学生项目，该领域提供丰富的教育经验，需要将工程与更广泛的健康，文化，道德，监管程序和低资源环境中的商业化问题相结合。全球健康关注还带来了工程方面的独特限制（简单性、成本、易用性），通常需要创造性和简单的解决方案。全球健康需求的技术将在公共宣传中得到强调，包括在我们的年度工程开放日上的动手展览。本科生将参与设计项目，开发卡到手机界面和手机“应用程序”，用于手机数据分析，PI将在实验室中接待一组学生，作为UW STEM Bridge计划的一部分，旨在鼓励代表性不足的学生追求科学，技术，工程和数学学科的职业生涯。