Nanophotonics: An Emerging and Promising Approach for COVID-19 Diagnostic Technology

The public health crisis initiated by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic tests to monitor large populations through community mass testing. Many testing techniques have been implemented to prevent disease spread, critical to pandemic control. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for detecting viral RNA and immunoassay tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are currently used to diagnose COVID-19. PCR tests are time-consuming, with a 24–48 hours turnaround time. Samples undergoing PCR detection must also be sent to a laboratory to be processed by highly specialized workers, preventing a point-of-care diagnosis from being provided. Popular immunoassay tests have drawbacks as well. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are extremely labor-intensive and expensive, whereas lateral flow assays (LFAs) are primarily used for antigen detection. In this work, we propose a photonic SARS-CoV-2 detection method based on a ring resonator. We calculate the sensor performance using the finite-difference eigenmode (FDE) method. The sensor sensitivity in ring resonator resonance frequency is 29 nm/RIU, with an intrinsic detection level (iLOD) of 6.89 × 10-5 RIU. We envision ring resonator-based lab-on-chip devices being widely used for applications such as early diagnosis, with the added benefit of being ultra-compact and easily handled by non-specialists.

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Point-of-Care Systems for Rapid DNA Quantification in Oncology

Tumori Journal ◽

10.1177/030089160809400214 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 216-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Marco Bianchessi ◽

Sarah Burgarella ◽

Marco Cereda

Keyword(s):

Point Of Care ◽

Low Cost ◽

Semiconductor Industry ◽

Point Of Care Testing ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

Diagnostic Assays ◽

Care Systems ◽

Point Of Care Systems ◽

The Common ◽

On Chip

The development of new powerful applications and the improvement in fabrication techniques are promising an explosive growth in lab-on-chip use in the upcoming future. As the demand reaches significant levels, the semiconductor industry may enter in the field, bringing its capability to produce complex devices in large volumes, high quality and low cost. The lab-on-chip concept, when applied to medicine, leads to the point-of-care concept, where simple, compact and cheap instruments allow diagnostic assays to be performed quickly by untrained personnel directly at the patient's side. In this paper, some practical and economical considerations are made to support the advantages of point-of-care testing. A series of promising technologies developed by STMicroelectronics on lab-on-chips is also presented, mature enough to enter in the common medical practice. The possible use of these techniques for cancer research, diagnosis and treatment are illustrated together with the benefits offered by their implementation in point-of-care testing.

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Subwavelength Grating Double Slot Waveguide Racetrack Ring Resonator for Refractive Index Sensing Application

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s20123416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (12) ◽

pp. 3416 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nikolay Lvovich Kazanskiy ◽

Svetlana Nikolaevna Khonina ◽

Muhammad Ali Butt

Keyword(s):

Ring Resonator ◽

Numerical Study ◽

Slot Waveguide ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

Subwavelength Grating ◽

Resonator Design ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Light Matter Interaction ◽

On Chip ◽

The One

In this paper, a racetrack ring resonator design based on a subwavelength grating double slot waveguide is presented. The proposed waveguide scheme is capable of confining the transverse electric field in the slots and the gaps between the grating segments. This configuration facilitates a large light–matter interaction which elevates the sensitivity of the device approximately 2.5 times higher than the one that can be obtained via a standard slot waveguide resonator. The best sensitivity of the design is obtained at 1000 nm/RIU by utilizing a subwavelength grating double slot waveguide of period 300 nm. The numerical study is conducted via 2D and 3D finite element methods. We believe that the proposed sensor design can play an important role in the realization of highly sensitive lab-on-chip sensors.

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Rapid and portable, lab-on-chip, point-of-care genotyping for evaluating clopidogrel metabolism

Clinica Chimica Acta ◽

10.1016/j.cca.2015.10.003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 451 ◽

pp. 240-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Nicola Marziliano ◽

Maria Francesca Notarangelo ◽

Marco Cereda ◽

Vittoria Caporale ◽

Lucia Coppini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Point Of Care ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

On Chip

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Fast, accurate, point-of-care COVID-19 pandemic diagnosis enabled through advanced lab-on-chip optical biosensors: Opportunities and challenges

Applied Physics Reviews ◽

10.1063/5.0022211 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 031313

Author(s):

Aref Asghari ◽

Chao Wang ◽

Kyoung Min Yoo ◽

Ali Rostamian ◽

Xiaochuan Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Point Of Care ◽

Optical Biosensors ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

On Chip

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Developments in Transduction, Connectivity and AI/Machine Learning for Point-of-Care Testing

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s19081917 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (8) ◽

pp. 1917 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Shane O’Sullivan ◽

Zulfiqur Ali ◽

Xiaoyi Jiang ◽

Reza Abdolvand ◽

M Selim Ünlü ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Data Analytics ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Clinical Diagnostics ◽

Least Developed Countries ◽

Point Of Care Testing ◽

Middle Income ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

On Chip

We review some emerging trends in transduction, connectivity and data analytics for Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) of infectious and non-communicable diseases. The patient need for POCT is described along with developments in portable diagnostics, specifically in respect of Lab-on-chip and microfluidic systems. We describe some novel electrochemical and photonic systems and the use of mobile phones in terms of hardware components and device connectivity for POCT. Developments in data analytics that are applicable for POCT are described with an overview of data structures and recent AI/Machine learning trends. The most important methodologies of machine learning, including deep learning methods, are summarised. The potential value of trends within POCT systems for clinical diagnostics within Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are highlighted.

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Printable graphene BioFETs for DNA quantification in Lab-on-PCB microsystems

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-89367-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sotirios Papamatthaiou ◽

Pedro Estrela ◽

Despina Moschou

Keyword(s):

Printed Circuit Board ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Dna Amplification ◽

Electrochemical Sensing ◽

Circuit Board ◽

Label Free ◽

Transistor Channel ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

Passive Electrode ◽

On Chip

AbstractLab-on-Chip is a technology that aims to transform the Point-of-Care (PoC) diagnostics field; nonetheless a commercial production compatible technology is yet to be established. Lab-on-Printed Circuit Board (Lab-on-PCB) is currently considered as a promising candidate technology for cost-aware but simultaneously high specification applications, requiring multi-component microsystem implementations, due to its inherent compatibility with electronics and the long-standing industrial manufacturing basis. In this work, we demonstrate the first electrolyte gated field-effect transistor (FET) DNA biosensor implemented on commercially fabricated PCB in a planar layout. Graphene ink was drop-casted to form the transistor channel and PNA probes were immobilized on the graphene channel, enabling label-free DNA detection. It is shown that the sensor can selectively detect the complementary DNA sequence, following a fully inkjet-printing compatible manufacturing process. The results demonstrate the potential for the effortless integration of FET sensors into Lab-on-PCB diagnostic platforms, paving the way for even higher sensitivity quantification than the current Lab-on-PCB state-of-the-art of passive electrode electrochemical sensing. The substitution of such biosensors with our presented FET structures, promises further reduction of the time-to-result in microsystems combining sequential DNA amplification and detection modules to few minutes, since much fewer amplification cycles are required even for low-abundance nucleic acid targets.

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Polylactic acid, a sustainable, biocompatible, transparent substrate material for Organ-On-Chip, and Microfluidic applications

10.1101/647347 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Alfredo E. Ongaro ◽

Davide Di Giuseppe ◽

Ali Kermanizadeh ◽

Allende Miguelez Crespo ◽

Arianna Mencatti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Models ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Small Molecule ◽

Point Of Care ◽

High Volume ◽

Substrate Material ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

Transparent Substrate ◽

On Chip ◽

Microinjection Moulding

AbstractOrgan-on-chips are miniaturised devices aiming at replacing animal models for drug discovery, toxicology and studies of complex biological phenomena. The field of Organ-On-Chip has grown exponentially, and has led to the formation of companies providing commercial Organ-On-Chip devices. Yet, it may be surprising to learn that the majority of these commercial devices are made from Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a silicone elastomer that is widely used in microfluidic prototyping, but which has been proven difficult to use in industrial settings and poses a number of challenges to experimentalists, including leaching of uncured oligomers and uncontrolled adsorption of small compounds. To alleviate these problems, we propose a new substrate for organ-on-chip devices: Polylactic Acid (PLA). PLA is a material derived from renewable resources, and compatible with high volume production technologies, such as microinjection moulding. PLA can be formed into sheets and prototyped into desired devices in the research lab. In this article we uncover the suitability of Polylactic acid as a substrate material for Microfluidic cell culture and Organ-on-a-chip applications. Surface properties, biocompatibility, small molecule adsorption and optical properties of PLA are investigated and compared with PDMS and other reference polymers.SignificanceOrgan-On-Chip (OOC) technology is a powerful and emerging tool that allows the culture of cells constituting an organ and enables scientists, researchers and clinicians to conduct more physiologically relevant experiments without using expensive animal models. Since the emergence of the first OOC devices 10 years ago, the translation from research to market has happened relatively fast. To date, at least 28 companies are proposing body and tissue on-a chip devices. The material of choice in most commercial organ-on-chip platforms is an elastomer, Polydymethyloxane (PDMS), commonly used in microfluidic R&D. PDMS is however subject to poor reproducibility, and absorbs small molecule compounds unless treated. In this study we show that PLA overcomes all the drawbacks related to PDMS: PLA can be prototyped in less than 45 minutes from design to test, is transparent, not autofluorescent, and biocompatible. PLA-based microfluidic platforms have the potential to transform the OOC industry as well as to provide a sustainable alternative for future Lab-On-Chip and point-of-care devices.

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A handheld point-of-care system for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in under 20 minutes

10.1101/2020.06.29.20142349 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano ◽

Kenny Malpartida-Cardenas ◽

Nicolas Moser ◽

Ivana Pennisi ◽

Matthew Cavuto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Lamp Assay ◽

High Rate ◽

Epidemiological Surveillance ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

Point Of Care System ◽

On Chip

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global health emergency characterized by the high rate of transmission and ongoing increase of cases globally. Rapid point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics to detect the causative virus, SARS-CoV-2, are urgently needed to identify and isolate patients, contain its spread and guide clinical management. In this work, we report the development of a rapid PoC diagnostic test (< 20 min) based on reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and semiconductor technology for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from extracted RNA samples. The developed LAMP assay was tested on a real-time benchtop instrument (RT-qLAMP) showing a lower limit of detection of 10 RNA copies per reaction. It was validated against 183 clinical samples including 127 positive samples (screened by the CDC RT-qPCR assay). Results showed 90.55% sensitivity and 100% specificity when compared to RT-qPCR and average positive detection times of 15.45 ± 4.43 min. For validating the incorporation of the RT-LAMP assay onto our PoC platform (RT-eLAMP), a subset of samples was tested (n=40), showing average detection times of 12.89 ± 2.59 min for positive samples (n=34), demonstrating a comparable performance to a benchtop commercial instrument. Paired with a smartphone for results visualization and geo-localization, this portable diagnostic platform with secure cloud connectivity will enable real-time case identification and epidemiological surveillance.One Sentence SummaryWe demonstrate isothermal detection of SARS-CoV-2 in under 20 minutes from extracted RNA samples with a handheld Lab-on-Chip platform.

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Integrated Microfluidic Flow Sensor for LAB-oN-CHIP and PoINT-oF-CARE Applications

Biotekhnologiya ◽

10.21519/0234-2758-2020-36-4-112-120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 112-120

Author(s):

A.V. Zverev ◽

M. Andronik ◽

V.V. Echeistov ◽

Z.H. Issabayeva ◽

O.S. Sorokina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Numerical Simulation ◽

Flow Rate ◽

Microfluidic Chip ◽

Soft Lithography ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Flow Sensor ◽

Oxide Semiconductor ◽

Dead Volume ◽

Lab On Chip ◽

On Chip

The results of the development and manufacture of an integrated membrane-free sensor for the control of accurate dilution of liquid samples on the microfluidic chip are presented. The proposed type of devices is intended for direct precise measurements of liquid flow rate in microchannels of laboratories-on-chip, including point-of-care systems. The sensor topology was optimized based on the numerical simulation results and technological requirements. The main characteristic of the developed sensor is the lack of a membrane in the design while maintaining the sensitivity and accuracy of the device at the level of a commercial membrane analogue. The fully biocompatible sensor was manufactured using standard microelectronics and soft lithography technologies. In order to optimize the sensor design, 32 different topologies of the device were tested. The integration of the flow sensors on the chip allows to significantly reduce the dead volume of the hydrodynamic system and to control the amount of liquid entering the individual reservoirs of the microfluidic chip. The sensor occupies an area of (210 x 140) um2 in the channel and is characterized by a relative error of 5% in the flow rate range of 100-1000 ul/min. microfluidics, lab-on-chip, calorimetric flow sensor, thermoresistive sensor, numerical simulation, hydrodynamics, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor, microtechnologies Devices were made at the BMSTU Nanofabrication Facility (FMN Laboratory, FMNS REC, ID 74300).

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