Lab-on-DVD: A Novel Platform for Point of Care Diagnostics

Microfluidics and the concept of lab-on-a-chip continue to gain traction as a successful emerging field that aims to integrate complex biochemical analyses into automated systems.  One of the most promising applications for these microfluidic systems is in point of care (POC) blood analysis, which has significant sample handling, storage, and preparation steps. Several distinct components are part of any device for blood analysis: sample collection and introduction, sample preparation, analyte separation, analyte detection, and signal processing. Practical applications in POC diagnostics, particularly in global health applications, require that each of these steps be miniaturized and integrated. Here, we introduce a low-cost DVD platform capable of integrating sample handling and detection for POC blood diagnostics. A DVD drive is essentially a highly advanced and low cost optical laser scanning microscope. Here, we report on the development of a modified commercial DVD reader with all the necessary components required for a truly integrated lab-on-a-chip system, with the capability to deliver high-resolution images down to 1 μm in size. Using discs modified with antibodies, we specifically captured CD4+ cells from whole blood for affordable HIV diagnostics.