Current automated stand-alone or integrated modular systems used in clinical laboratories only operate after a large collection of samples, it often takes days for patients to know the test results. These systems are built either as work- stations or bench-tops, neither of which are suitable for near-patient site or point-of-care testing. Maxwell Sensors Inc. proposes to develop a compact, automated point-of-care chemiluminescent luminometer by combining a self-contained miniaturized chemiluminescence chip (CLCHIP) and a micromechanical actuator for rapid and sensitive clinical diagnostics. This fully automated system is expected to achieve attomolar sensitivity. During Phase I project, they will design and fabricate the microchip, construct the micro-actuator, characterize and evaluate the system by testing the clinically relevant analytes: luteinizing hormone (LH), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and troponin (cTnI).
Point-of-care test products offering simple and rapid results are gaining acceptance among the medical community. The proposed technology is not limited to the luminesence assay, but can be expanded to ELISA and fluorescence immunoassay. It can also be applied to various specific and routine clinical diagnosis.
