Scientists from three of Singapore’s research institutions have jointly developed a mobile device that purportedly detects the famous H5N1 bird flu virus.
The device comprises a unique platform developed by IBN that uses magnetic force to manipulate individual droplets containing silica-coated magnetic particles.
“The novelty of our method lies in the way that the droplet itself becomes a pump, valve, mixer, solid-phase extractor and real-time thermocycler. Complex biochemical tasks can thus be processed in a fashion similar to that of a traditional biological laboratory on a miniature scale,” explained Dr Pipper.
The all-in-one droplet-based device is superior to commercially available solutions as it integrates the entire workflow of viral RNA isolation, purification, preconcentration, and detection.
Tests have shown that IBN’s platform is as sensitive as, and around 10 times faster than available tests, yet it could potentially be 40 to 100 times cheaper.
Press Release: Made in Singapore lab-on-a-chip device to transform field testing for avian flu virus (.pdf)…
Flashback: “Flu Chip”