Laser-based engineering of paper for manufacturing fluidic sensors: (Lab-flo)

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In 2013 we started work on an 18-month EPSRC feasibility grant entitled 'Laser-printable point-of-care sensors for low-cost medical diagnosis and disease monitoring', which explored laser-based printing of biological materials for applications in the healthcare sector. Our results have attracted the attention of several major international healthcare manufacturers who see the potential of laser-patterning of porous materials like paper for their future product range and who want to work with us to further develop this technology. We are submitting this follow-on proposal to (1) develop a laboratory-standard process for laser-based paper-patterning for fluidic devices, (2) use our technology in trials for a point-of-care diagnostics demonstrator sensor that allows detection of specific diseases such as tuberculosis, as well as dramatically reducing detection limits, (3) extend the technique to incorporate methodologies for fluid delay, multiplexing, and patterning of 3-D devices, and (4) explore applications beyond planar devices in paper, including 'Light-Up Paper' and functionalised fabrics for 'Smart Plasters'.