Micro-Fabricated Complete Blood Counter

描述（由申请人提供）：这项SBIR研究工作旨在开发和测试一种新的血液分析系统，该系统利用MEMS制造芯片和多个射频电阻抗询问信号来区分细胞类型。我们项目的长期目标可以概括为三个：1)利用一次性mems微流控芯片为医生办公室开发廉价的CBC分析系统；2)小型化电子硬件并利用相同的核心技术开发高度便携的CBC分析仪；3)扩展基本技术（通过集成额外的细胞检测方法）以增强系统的功能，性能和可靠性。作为提议的长期努力的一部分，我们将制造，表征和商业化第一代MEMS mu-CBC分析仪。为了实现这一目标，目前的SBIR提案通过将一次性微制造探测器整合到相对便宜的台式分析系统中，解决了电导和阻抗基细胞计数技术的小型化问题。三个目标中的第一个目标将集中在设计和微制造下一代MEMS流芯片，适用于使用射频阻抗测量的概念验证细胞计数研究。第二个目标将是开发微流体，以使血液以适合单排细胞的流速通过微通道。目标三将侧重于额外的概念验证研究，以证明该技术作为血液学分析仪的可行性。未来的工作将建立在本提案的结果上，以创建基于相同微流体细胞计数芯片的现场便携式mu-CBC分析仪。我们设想这些mu-El系统最终将导致高度便携式系统的开发和商业化，能够大大提高血液检测的便利性（和可用性）（4-6年）。例如，这些系统将能够对偏远地区的艾滋病毒患者进行现场检测，对来急诊室就诊的患者进行快速检测，以及在家中进行自我血液检测。这些未来的多检测器系统将在成本和性能上与最先进的血液学分析仪相竞争（6-10年）。据我们所知，没有其他商业努力开发血细胞计数仪器使用基于mems的技术。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This SBIR research effort is aimed at the development and testing of a novel system for blood analysis that utilizes MEMS fabricated chips and multiple, radio-frequency electric impedance interrogation signals to differentiate cell types. Our long-term goals for the project can be summarized as three: 1) develop an inexpensive CBC analysis system utilizing disposable MEMS-based micro-fluidic chips for physician's offices, 2) miniaturize the electronic hardware and develop a highly portable CBC analyzer utilizing the same core technologies and 3) expand on the basic technologies (by integrating additional cell detection methods) to enhance system capabilities, performance and reliability. As part of the proposed long-term effort, we will fabricate, characterize and commercialize the first generation MEMS mu-CBC Analyzer. To achieve this, the present SBIR proposal addresses miniaturization of the conductance and impedance base cell counting techniques by incorporating disposable, micro-fabricated detectors into relatively inexpensive bench-top analysis systems. The first of three aims will concentrate on designing and micro-fabricating the next generation MEMS flow-chips suitable for proof-of-concept cell counting studies using radio-frequency impedance measurements. The second aim will target the development for the micro-fluidics required to drive the blood through the micro-channel at a flow-rate suitable for single file interrogation of cells. Aim three will focus on additional proof-of-concept studies to demonstrate feasibility of this technology to function as a hematology analyzer. Future work will build upon the results of the present proposal to create a field portable mu-CBC Analyzer based on the same micro-fluidic cell counting chip. We envision these mu-El systems will eventually lead to the development and commercialization of highly portable systems capable of drastically improving the ease (and availability) of administering blood tests (4-6 years). For example, these systems will enable field tests for remote patients with HIV, rapid testing for incoming emergency room patients, and self-administered home blood testing. These future multiple-detector systems will become extremely cost and performance competitive with the state-of-the-art hematology analyzers (6-10 years). To our knowledge, there are no other commercial efforts to develop blood cell counting instrumentation using MEMS-based technology.