Feb 13 2021 Read 2935 Times
Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a way of producing the soft-lithographic moulds used for fabricating microfluidic devices using low-cost 3D-printing techniques. Coupled with the open-source resources developed by the team, this alternative technology has the potential to accelerate uptake and development of on-chip diagnostic techniques in parts of the world where rapid point of care (POC) diagnoses are needed.
“Previously, techniques for producing the soft-lithographic scaffolds/moulds (microfluidic channel patterns) were time-consuming and extremely expensive, while other low-cost alternatives were prone to unfavourable properties. This development could put Lab-On-a-Chip prototyping into the hands of researchers and clinicians who know the challenges best, in particular those in resource-limited settings, where rapid diagnostics may often have the greatest impact,” said the study’s lead author Dr Robert Hughes.