SBIR Phase II: Automated Analysis of Body Fluid Chemistry Using MHD-Based Microfluidics

This Phase II SBIR Proposal develops a suite of labs-on-a-chip that can be used to establish the metabolic health of an individual in real-time from a finger-prick sample of blood. Each disposable chip will contain all reagents necessary to run the assay and all waste will be stored on the chip. These sealed, self-contained assay chips will be based on magnetohydrodynamic microfluidics and microelectrochemical detection and will allow for the simultaneous quantization of multiple biomarkers. The biomarkers chosen for this project have been linked to an individual?s metabolic health in a broad range of high importance areas, including aging, cardiovascular health, neurochemical health, and prepregnancy health. The ability to quantify the biomarkers simultaneously will allow for assessment of an individual?s metabolic status and determination of an intervention strategy within the time scale of a single visit to the doctor. Any necessary follow-up visit will provide immediate feedback on success or failure of the intervention strategy. This point-of-care testing platform will allow both doctor and patient to take a more proactive stance in the management of an individual?s metabolic status. The broader impacts of this research meet a need for improved preconception care. This technology can be expanded to include additional biomarkers that will allow for convenient, inexpensive screening of a number of health issues, including pernicious anemia, renal disease, neurochemical health and cardiovascular health that could broaden its impact on improving the Nation's healtcare.