Wednesday, October 31, 2012: 10:30 AM
Over the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in genomics, microfluidics, and miniaturization of analytical systems. Combined with consumer electronics (both Android and Apple OS based systems), this progress can now be translated to develop rapid, rugged, and powerful devices capable of carrying out high end diagnostics in a cost-effective manner without sophisticated lab and trained personnel. We have developed two extremely low devices along with the associated microfluidic chips and validated them for a number of applications in the area of health, food and agriculture, and the environment. The first device, named GeneZ, is an iPod driven genetic analysis system with the following specifications: i) application specific microfluidic DNA biochips containing up to 64 reactions, ii) isothermal amplification often without DNA extraction or sample processing, iii) quantitative results similar to real time PCR, iv) small sample volume (~100 µl), vi) detection limit of 10-100 copies per well, vii) Assay time: 5-30 minutes, and viii) manufacturing cost of $500-$1,000. It uses light emitting diodes for excitation and photodiode as a detector. The second device is an Android based system designed for higher density assays of up to 1,500 reactions with all other specifications similar to the above system but uses CCD imaging. In this presentation, we will summarize the design and performance data related to assay validation for a number of applications listed above. Overall, these devices may simplify the use of genetic assays used in industrial microbiology and biotechnology.