Point of Need Multiplexed Immune Response Testing

Clinicians often need to identify which specific pathogens or agents a patient has been exposed to. Common examples include screening pregnant women for antibodies that pass to the fetus, evaluating respiratory panels, or checking patient response to vaccines. Ideally, this testing could be performed right at the point of care, even without advanced laboratory equipment. However, because these tests are frequently required in remote settings or outside traditional hospital environments, there is a critical demand for rapid, portable, and easy-to-use testing devices that can evaluate multiple health markers simultaneously.

 

Professor Joshua LaBaer, from the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University, has developed a novel technology which enables simultaneous detection of multiple antibodies or proteins from a small blood or serum sample using barcoded capture proteins. It integrates a microfluidics chip to separate bound from unbound proteins and employs a specialized PCR to amplify unique barcodes linked to each protein. The results are then visualized on a lateral flow device through hybridization with complementary sequences. Designed for point-of-care use, it eliminates the need for full clinical labs and offers adaptability to various proteins and testing applications.

 

This technology provides a simple, efficient method for multiplexed detection of antibodies and proteins at the point of need using barcoded capture proteins and microfluidics.