Harvard College

Michael D Dickey

George M Whitesides

Adam Carlyn Siegel

Andres W Martinez

Manish J Butte

Scott T Phillips

Benjamin Wiley

Meital Reches

Dorota Rozkiewicz

Paper-based microfluidic systems and methods of making the same are described.

Paper-based microfluidic systems

Hydrophilic threads as platforms for inexpensive, low volume, portable diagnostic systems, and methods of making the same are described. A diagnostic system includes a hydrophilic loading thread having an inlet zone at a proximal end; a testing zone at a distal end; and an intermediate zone located between the inlet zone and the testing zone, wherein the testing zone does not directly contact the inlet zone. In another aspect, a diagnostic system includes (i) a hydrophilic loading thread that includes an inlet zone at a proximal end and an intermediate zone at a distal end; and (ii) one or more additional hydrophilic threads that contact the intermediate zone of the loading thread. A method of detecting the presence or absence of an analyte in a fluid sample includes applying the sample to an inlet zone of a diagnostic system that includes a hydrophilic loading thread with an inlet zone at a proximal end; an intermediate zone; and a testing zone at a distal end; wherein the testing zone does not directly contact the inlet zone.

Cotton thread as a low-cost multi-assay diagnostic platform

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Michael D Dickey