Shaping acoustic fields as a toolset for microfluidic manipulations in diagnostic technologies

Reboud, J. , Bourquin, Y., Wilson, R. , Pall, G.S., Jiwaji, M., Pitt, A.R., Graham, A., Waters, A.P. and Cooper, J.M. (2012) Shaping acoustic fields as a toolset for microfluidic manipulations in diagnostic technologies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(38), pp. 15162-15167. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1206055109)

Abstract

Ultrasonics offers the possibility of developing sophisticated fluid manipulation tools in lab-on-a-chip technologies. Here we demonstrate the ability to shape ultrasonic fields by using phononic lattices, patterned on a disposable chip, to carry out the complex sequence of fluidic manipulations required to detect the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in blood. To illustrate the different tools that are available to us, we used acoustic fields to produce the required rotational vortices that mechanically lyse both the red blood cells and the parasitic cells present in a drop of blood. This procedure was followed by the amplification of parasitic genomic sequences using different acoustic fields and frequencies to heat the sample and perform a real-time PCR amplification. The system does not require the use of lytic reagents nor enrichment steps, making it suitable for further integration into lab-on-a-chip point-of-care devices. This acoustic sample preparation and PCR enables us to detect ca. 30 parasites in a microliter-sized blood sample, which is the same order of magnitude in sensitivity as lab-based PCR tests. Unlike other lab-on-a-chip methods, where the sample moves through channels, here we use our ability to shape the acoustic fields in a frequency-dependent manner to provide different analytical functions. The methods also provide a clear route toward the integration of PCR to detect pathogens in a single hand-held system.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Jiwaji, Dr Meesbah and Wilson, Dr Robert and Pitt, Dr Andrew and Waters, Professor Andy and Cooper, Professor Jonathan and Reboud, Professor Julien and Pall, Dr Gurman and McKenna, Mrs Anne
• Authors: Reboud, J., Bourquin, Y., Wilson, R., Pall, G.S., Jiwaji, M., Pitt, A.R., Graham, A., Waters, A.P., and Cooper, J.M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences; College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Biomedical Engineering
• Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
• ISSN: 0027-8424
• Published Online: 04 September 2012