I-Corps: Rapid, Low Cost Point-of-Care Microfluidic Cancer Screening Device

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a biopsy screening method that enables early detection of cancer. Cancer cells can often grow and form tumors for nearly ten years before they are initially detected. This project focuses on producing a minimally invasive and cost-effective, point of care device for early cancer screening. This device is intended to help detect specific cancers earlier, thereby improving patient outcomes globally. If successful, the product is expected to have major economic impacts as a result of reducing healthcare expenditures for cancer treatment and improving the health of the workforce.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a point of care blood biopsy device for early screening and detection of cancer. The technology consists of two primary components: (1) a disposable microfluidics platform, and (2) an electronics and hardware enclosure. The microfluidic platform fractionates a tiny whole blood sample drawn from the patient and processes a targeted, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The assay produces a chemiluminescent signal in response to the presence of circulating tumor cells that have epithelial cell adhesion molecule expression of 80% (i.e. breast, prostate, bladder, or pancreatic cancer). The disposable microfluidic platform is loaded into a table-top sized enclosure that houses the electronics and hardware used to autonomously control fluid handling (sorting, mixing, flushing, sensing) of the blood sample in a preprogrammed sequence. A photosensor contained in the enclosure detects the chemiluminescent signal produced by the assay. By reducing the time and skill typically required by medical personnel, patient outcomes can be improved and the cost of screening can be significantly reduced The size, cost, and ease of use of the device is well suited for point-of-care diagnostics in a clinical setting.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.