Microfluidic platform for rapid passive preparation of complex biological matrices in point-of-care testing
- 1Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada
- 2Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnologies for Health Assessments (Lab-HA), Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada
- 3Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada
Abstract
Efficient whole blood processing at the point-of-care (POC) remains challenging due to interference from cellular components, risk of hemolysis, as well as reliance on external equipment and skilled operators. Here, we present a passive, low-cost microfluidic platform for rapid separation of cellular components from diluted samples of whole blood without the need for external pumps. The device features a circular maze-shaped microchannel incorporating 18 sequential wells, enabling effective cell retention through purely passive hydrodynamic mechanisms. Fabricated from hydrophilic polymer sheets and pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layers, the platform is scalable, disposable, and enables very low-cost production (< $1 per unit). The blood-separation performance of the standalone microfluidic chip was validated using HEK-293 and AtT-20 cell suspensions, mixed cell suspensions, and diluted human blood. Efficient retention of cellular components in the early wells generated a cell-free filtrate suitable for downstream analytical applications. Building on this validated separation capability, the platform was integrated with a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) module as a proof-of-concept in a POC application by testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The integrated system enabled detection of HBsAg at concentrations as low as 10 ng/mL within 10 min. In addition, deep learning–assisted convolutional neural networks were employed for automated assessment of filtration efficiency and test-line intensity. Overall, this work demonstrates a robust and accessible microfluidic sample-preparation platform with potential for decentralized diagnostic applications, particularly critical for resource-limited settings.
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BibTeX
@article{sadighbayan2026microfluidic,
title = {{Microfluidic platform for rapid passive preparation of complex biological matrices in point-of-care testing}},
author = {Deniz Sadighbayan and Alireza Norouziazad and Fatemeh Rahimi and Jean-Paul Paluzzi and Razieh Salahandish},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-63706-6},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63706-6},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Microfluidic platform for rapid passive preparation of complex biological matrices in point-of-care testing
AU - Deniz Sadighbayan
AU - Alireza Norouziazad
AU - Fatemeh Rahimi
AU - Jean-Paul Paluzzi
AU - Razieh Salahandish
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/28
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-63706-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63706-6
AB - Efficient whole blood processing at the point-of-care (POC) remains challenging due to interference from cellular components, risk of hemolysis, as well as reliance on external equipment and skilled operators. Here, we present a passive, low-cost microfluidic platform for rapid separation of cellular components from diluted samples of whole blood without the need for external pumps. The device features a circular maze-shaped microchannel incorporating 18 sequential wells, enabling effective cell retention through purely passive hydrodynamic mechanisms. Fabricated from hydrophilic polymer sheets and pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layers, the platform is scalable, disposable, and enables very low-cost production (< $1 per unit). The blood-separation performance of the standalone microfluidic chip was validated using HEK-293 and AtT-20 cell suspensions, mixed cell suspensions, and diluted human blood. Efficient retention of cellular components in the early wells generated a cell-free filtrate suitable for downstream analytical applications. Building on this validated separation capability, the platform was integrated with a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) module as a proof-of-concept in a POC application by testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The integrated system enabled detection of HBsAg at concentrations as low as 10 ng/mL within 10 min. In addition, deep learning–assisted convolutional neural networks were employed for automated assessment of filtration efficiency and test-line intensity. Overall, this work demonstrates a robust and accessible microfluidic sample-preparation platform with potential for decentralized diagnostic applications, particularly critical for resource-limited settings.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -