Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech have developed a disposable microchip that replaces space-consuming instrumentation with fast, cost-effective, lab-on-a-chip technology.
The microfluidic device is suitable for large-scale screening of disease-related biomarkers. Protein biomarkers are useful as "molecular indicators" for a wide range of diseases including breast cancer. The lab-on-a-chip integrates a pump, valve, separation column, and detection interface onto a 3- by-1 inch glass microchip and delivers a performance to match benchtop instrumentation typically occupying a few square feet of lab space.
Iuliana Lazar, assistant professor at VBI, commented: "Microfluidic devices have emerged as powerful and reliable analysis platforms for proteomic applications and biomarker screening. The miniature format as well as the ability to manipulate small amounts of sample result in short analysis times and significant reductions in cost." Dr. Lazar added: "Using the microchip that we have developed in our laboratory, sample injection, separation, labeling and detection can be performed routinely in a few minutes. Increased specificity and sensitivity are paving the way for high-throughput testing that will permit screening at the population level for prognostic or diagnostic markers for a whole range of diseases. "