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Briefing
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- Lab-on-a-Chip – Singapore's Nanyang Technology University (NTU) scientists created lab-on-a-chip combining microfluidics and electric sensors to detect white blood cells abnormality in minutes
- How It Works – Chip separates white blood cells from blood and electric sensors measure electrical impedance (i.e. strength of circuit resistance to current when voltage is applied) of white blood cells at hundred cells per second
- Abnormality Detection – Abnormal white blood cells have higher electrical impedance compared to healthy cells, possible indicators of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation and diabetes
- Applications – Can be used as point-of-care device by doctors to screen patients with unhealthy white blood cells if further tests are needed, as well as laboratory equipment to better understand body’s defense mechanism to bacteria and viruses, and for drug screening
- Production – Made of common medical-grade polymer and can be manufactured with existing machinery or made into desktop-sized machine for clinic use
- Next Steps – Include testing chip in clinical settings, building library of data on electrical properties for automated analyses, and finding partner to commercialize technology
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Accelerator
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Sector
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Healthcare/Health Sciences
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Function
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Research and Development
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Organization
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Nanyang Technology University
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Source
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Original Publication Date
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September 25, 2019
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