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

PI: Lutz， BarryInstitution: University Of washington智力优势：微流体领域旨在创造便携式“实验室”来进行分析测试。设备通常是简单的聚合物卡，需要配套设备来控制流体（例如泵、阀门、控制器）和检测测试结果（例如成像）。使用点医疗诊断、环境监测、生物威胁检测等面临的一个关键挑战是减少仪器的费用和物理负担。几乎每个人都有一个可以作为测试工具的手机——它们无处不在，由电池供电，易于使用——而且它们能够产生、检测和传递信息丰富的音频信号。我们设想一个一次性测试卡连接到一个电话耳塞，其中音频(1)通过“说话”卡来控制流体步骤，(2)通过“听”卡的输出来量化测试结果。这个原理是基于电路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、电感、电容和二极管（例如无线电调谐器）的简单组合产生的。通过在微尺度通道（“交流微流体”）中使用振荡流，我们可以从电路中恢复我们所知道的功能。本提案旨在开发交流微流体电路，为使用点测试执行分析功能。将创建经典电路的流体版本（例如，带通滤波器），并将流体电路频率响应的测量结果与电路模型进行比较。一个“麦克风”将被集成到卡片中以测量电路输出，基于音频的传感电路将通过基于模型的设计和实验验证来开发。将开发信号转导化学，使电路组件产生物理变化，并且该系统将用于检测疟疾生物标志物。更广泛的影响：该赠款将支持全球卫生诊断跨学科领域的学生项目，这些项目提供丰富的教育经验，需要将工程与更广泛的卫生、文化、伦理、监管程序和低资源环境下的商业化问题相结合。全球卫生重点还对工程（简单性、成本、易用性）带来了独特的限制，往往需要创造性和简单的解决方案。全球卫生需求的技术将在公众宣传活动中得到强调，包括在我们年度工程开放日的实践展览。本科生将参与设计项目，开发卡到手机接口和手机“应用程序”，用于手机数据分析。作为西华大学STEM桥梁项目的一部分，PI将在实验室接待一组学生，该项目旨在鼓励代表性不足的学生从事科学、技术、工程和数学学科的职业。

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.