Paper-based microfluidics for enhanced allergy tests

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There are currently over four hundred unique allergic conditions. It can take anywhere from days to months to have an allergy test performed, depending on the local health care system. ExVivo Labs is an Ontario-based startup company currently working to develop an over-the-counter home diagnostic skin patch test for allergy screening. Such a test would allow users to test themselves for suspected allergic conditions within an hour. The skin patch will be placed on the skin and microneedles on the bottom of the patch will enable a small amount of fluid to be collected from the user. Chemistry embedded within the skin patch will analyze and test this fluid for an indication of an allergic reaction and the test result will be communicated on the top surface of the patch with a blue signal. In order to analyze the low fluid amounts involved in the tests, paper-based microfluidic systems are required to ensure efficient use of the fluid, and to generate accurate and consistent test results. The skin patches must be kept small enough to be convenient for users. A single skin patch can also be made to incorporate a number of the known allergy tests into a single patch for further convenience. In this proposal the paper-based microfluidic expertise of the MacDonald Lab at UOIT will be harnessed to enable ExVivo Labs to develop over-the-counter skin patches for allergy screening. The research will expand the application of fluid mechanics knowledge, specifically by harnessing paper-based microfluidics tools to create useful tests for end-users. The resulting allergy test will increase health and safety by reducing the time required to test and confirm allergic conditions. ExVivo Labs is a Canadian company, currently with three full-time employees, that will grow to manufacture and sell the product being developed, leading to more jobs and benefits to the Canadian economy.