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An easily portable, cheap credit card sized lab-on-a-chip - the mChip - can detect HIV , syphilis and several other infections as accurately as sophisticatedhospital-based equipments can. Developer, Samuel K. Sia, assistantprofessor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering saysthe device can be used in the remotest parts of the world. It wastested on hundreds of Rwandan patients and is said to be almost100% accurate. Sia described it as a microfluidic-based diagnostic device whichcan carry out complex laboratory assays simply, efficiently andaccurately. In Nature Medicine Sia explains how the manipulation of tiny amounts of fluids, knownas microfluidics, and nanoparticles can be leveraged effectively toproduce a cheap and functional diagnostic device in areas ofextremely limited resources. The team, from Columbia Engineering, carried out tests in Rwandaover a four-year period, along with Columbia's Mailman School ofPublic Health, as well as three non-governmental organizations.They tested on hundreds of patients. All you need for the mChip (mobile microfluidic chip) is a smallfinger prick of blood. Within under 15 minutes the health careprofessional has clear, objective results that are not influencedto user interpretation. The mChip considerably reduces delays in getting prompt treatmentfor patients because it is so fast. Experts say this efficient,low-cost device could revolutionize medical care globally. Sia said: "We have engineered a disposable credit card-sized device that canproduce blood-based diagnostic results in minutes. The idea is tomake a large class of diagnostic tests accessible to patients inany setting in the world, rather than forcing them to go to aclinic to draw blood and then wait days for their results." The mChip was the result of a joint venture by Columbia Engineeringand Claros Diagnostics Inc., a company Sia founded in 2004. In acommuniqu , Columbia Engineering wrote: "The microchip inside the device is formed through injectionmolding and holds miniature forms of test tubes and chemicals; thecost of the chip is about $1 and the entire instrument about $100." Sia explains that Rwandan pregnant mothers who live in remote areasof the country and are suffering from AIDS and other STDs will benefit from this device. Many of them do notlive near a laboratory, clinic or hospital. Sia said: "Diagnosis of infectious diseases is very important in thedeveloping world. When you're in these villages, you may have thedrugs for many STDs, but you don't know who to give treatments to,so the challenge really comes down to diagnostics." Claros Diagnostic developed a similar device that can test for prostate cancer. It was approved for use in Europe in 2010. The Wallace Coulter Foundation and the NIH (National Institutes ofHealth) helped fund the mChip project. Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Additional References Citations. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Disposable Wet Wipes , Plastic Cosmetic Jars, and more. For more , please visit Cream Dispenser Pump today!
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