Digital microfluidics and digital detection for in vitro diagnostics

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The cost of delivering healthcare in Canada is increasing at an unsustainable pace. De-centralized, small-footprint in vitro diagnostic (IVD) systems, which can be implemented with significant reductions in cost, may provide some relief to this problem. The Wheeler Lab at the University of Toronto is working with international IVD market leader, Abbott Laboratories, to develop miniaturized immunoassay systems based on digital microfluidics (DMF), a technique in which sample and reagent droplets are moved across a surface by applying electrical potentials to an array of electrodes. Compared to conventional systems, the new DMF systems offer the potential for 100-fold and 10-fold reductions in reagent volumes and analysis time, respectively, while retaining a level of analytical performance required for clinical screening. The work proposed here is a continuation of an on-going collaboration between the Wheeler Lab and Abbott to further optimize the technology such that it may be commercialized. Working with a diverse team of Abbott scientists based in Ottawa, ON, Chicago, IL, and Dallas, TX, this project has the potential to significantly impact the diagnostics market in Canada and around the world.