Award details

Lab-on-a-Pill: wireless microfluidics for in vivo immunodiagnostics

Reference	BB/E015212/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Jonathan Cooper
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor David Cumming
Institution	University of Glasgow
Department	Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	708,865
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/11/2007
End date	31/07/2011
Duration	45 months

Abstract

In this project, we propose, for the first time, to develop the technology to implement remote immunoassays in a Lab-on-a-Pill device. We propose to illustrate this generic technology by developing a specific application, namely that of an electrochemical assay for measuring blood in the GI tract (the electrochemical assay having the advantage that it can provide low power, high sensitivity measurements in a turbid environment). The work builds upon an established platform which has been developed in Glasgow University over the last four years. All functions will be under wireless control, including sample collection, microfluidic manipulation on the Pill (e.g. in providing the appropriate washing steps for a heterogeneous immunoassay), device calibration, and the transmission of results. The assay will be performed electrochemically, allowing for low power high sensitivity detection in a turbid and opaque sample. The assay will be configured as a heterogenous sandwich immunoassay for haemoglobin using an alkaline phosphatase labelled developing antibody, and 4 aminophenylphosphate as the substrate. Each assay will involve up to 5 individual fluidic manipulations on the pill, under wireless control. We have chosen to use a specialised packaging organisation, Optocap, to help enable the device to be produced as a workable package. The efficacy of the assay will be tested in pigs at St Marks Hospital.

Summary

Previously, Lab-on-a-Chip technologies have exploited many aspects of microsystems technology, including both sensor miniaturisation and microfluidics, to produce technologies associated with DNA analysis, proteomics and diagnostics. Despite the numerous analytical advantages that are delivered as a consequence of miniaturisation into Lab-on-a-Chip, the vast majority of all devices that have been proposed (with the exception of handheld biosensors, first developed 20 years ago), most often require to be based on a laboratory bench. In contrast, wireless 'Lab-on-a-Pill' technology now has the proven ability to deliver both remote and-or distributed analysis, resulting in a wide range of potential applications, including those associated with biomedical analysis in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, process control in industry, environmental analysis and the functional foods industry. The concept is one of a battery-powered technology platform, which combines miniaturised sensors, a low power radio transmitter and receiver and power management modules, and an array of microsensors. Our current prototype can measure pH, disolved oxygen (pO2), temperature and conductivity, and has been proven with wireless measurements in a pig, using radiotelemtry to track its position. The device is controlled by an ASIC. This application now seeks to implement important technological challenges associated with implementing microfluidics on the Pill in order to enable advanced diagnostic tests. In this project we will illustrate this by performing remote immunodiagnostics. As an example, we will try to perform a remote biochemical assay for a marker for colon cancer in the lower GI tract.

Committee	Closed Committee - Engineering & Biological Systems (EBS)
Research Topics	Technology and Methods Development
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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