Image of the lab-on-a-chip: (a) metallic box containing the light-emitting...
Image of the lab-on-a-chip: (a) metallic box containing the light-emitting diode (LED) anchored to the box lid, the electronic board and the system-on-glass (SoG), (b) top view of the SoG and (c) microwell plate optically aligned with the SoG.

Image source: Costantini et al., Biosensors 2023 (CC BY 4.0)

PCR

New biomolecular monitoring tool based on lab-on-a-chip for virus detection

Over the last 20 years, the development of lab-on-a-chip (LoC) devices for performing real-time PCR (LoC-PCR) has been an active research field. LoC devices are advantageous compared to macroscopic equivalents due to their smaller dimensions, high integrability and automation, time and cost reduction, high sensitivity and selectivity, ability to integrate multistep operations in a single chip, and the possibility of real-time monitoring. Indeed, small scale means low fluid volume for the analysis and rapid heat transfer, thus shortening the analysis time. ‘Compared to the standard bulky equipment, real-time LoC-PCR devices are smaller, ensuring portability and making these devices suitable for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics and in-field analysis,’ said Francesca Costantini from the Department of Environmental Biology at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

By using a microwell plate optically coupled with the SoG, real-time reverse transcriptase PCR of RNA extracted from both a plant and human virus has been carried out in the developed LoC-PCR device

Francesca Costantini

These features indicate that LoC-PCR may represent a major breakthrough for the early detection of pathogens and a prompter of actions to control disease epidemics and infection spreading. In May 2023, researchers from Costantini’s Department, and from the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at Milan University published a study in the journal Biosensors presenting a new lab-on-a-chip-PCR device. 

Thermalisation, temperature control and detection elements are all integrated on a single glass substrate named System-on-Glass (SoG) obtained using metal thin-film deposition. ‘By using a microwell plate optically coupled with the SoG, real-time reverse transcriptase PCR of RNA extracted from both a plant and human virus has been carried out in the developed LoC-PCR device,’ said Costantini. The limit of detection and analysis time to detect the two viruses by using the LoC-PCR were compared with those achieved by standard equipment. 

The results showed that the two systems can detect the same concentration of RNA. However, and this is a breakthrough, the LoC-PCR performs the analysis in half the time compared to the standard thermocycler, with the advantage of portability, leading to a point-of-care device for several diagnostic applications. (BB)

13.11.2023

Related articles

Photo

News • Integration of microanalysis chips

Establishing microfluidic control technology for blood testing devices

A research group established a microfluidic control technology that can be applied to small blood testing devices and consequently developed a novel integrated immunoassay device.

Photo

News • Pathogen Analyzer

Researchers develop cost-effective PCR test alternative

Speed or accuracy? As far as Covid-19 tests go, this was the choice you had to make. In the future, this dilemma could be a thing of the past.

Photo

News • Inexpensive invention

Test kit enables quick and accurate screening of diseases

Test results are denoted by a colour change and could be further analysed by a smartphone app, making it attractive as a point-of-care diagnostic device.

Related products

Subscribe to Newsletter