BioPrep: A Novel Microfluidic Cartridge for Universal Bio-sample Preparation

A critical but often overlooked aspect of bioagent detection is rendering the complex environmental sample ready for detection. Commercially available sample preparation technologies are time-consuming, high cost and require trained personnel and sophisticated equipment for operation and thus are not feasible for field use. Furthermore, sample preparation technologies need to accommodate a variety of input samples (e.g., water, soil, blood) and a host of detection moieties (e.g., DNA, RNA, proteins, peptides, whole cells). Ideally, a fieldable bio-sample preparation platform should be rapid, compact, reagent-less, automated, require minimal user training, and universal. We propose to develop a general purpose BioPrep cartridge for universal bio-sample preparation for detection of biowarfare agents. The cartridge will be based on CFDRC"s EMUS platform a suite of microfluidic component technologies for electrokinetics-based sample preparation. It features modular design, offering a high degree of customization and electric field driven, unified physics for ease of integration and enhanced fieldability. Proof-of-concept during Phase I will be demonstrated by separating individual classes (e.g., spores, vegetative bacteria, viruses, DNA, proteins) of bioagents from heterogeneous samples. During Phase II, the individual component technologies will be optimized and integrated. The integrated microfluidic cartridge will be demonstrated for a variety of complex environmental samples.