The journal Lab on a Chip is reporting about a Lab in a Briefcase developed by researchers at Loughborough University and Capillary Film Technology, a West Sussex, UK firm. The device allows for remote rapid testing of patients for prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker for prostate cancer.
The system relies on a microfluidic ELISA that takes advantage of fluoropolymer microcapillary film with 200 μm wide capillaries, a multi-syringe aspirator for running 10 replicate immunoassays on eight samples, a sample tray containing the immunoassay reagents, and a consumer film scanner for colorimetric signal detection. The system is able to make 80 measurements within fifteen minutes without relying on any other equipment.
The system is able to use whole blood or serum as the sample and the person running the tests needs minimal training to operate the Lab in a Briefcase.
Here’s a video with the lead developers of the technology:
Study in Lab on a Chip: A lab-in-a-briefcase for rapid prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening from whole blood…
