Are you currently facing long drug development cycles, difficulty in protein expression and purification, or challenges in antibody development? Creative Biolabs' Microfluidic Development Service helps you streamline complex protein analysis and accelerate drug discovery through advanced microfluidic platforms and innovative assay integration.
Contact our team to get an inquiry now!
Background
Microfluidics, a multidisciplinary field focused on fluid control at the sub-millimeter scale, has revolutionized functional protein analysis by miniaturizing complex lab processes onto a single "lab-on-a-chip." These platforms leverage unique fluid dynamics, such as laminar flow and enhanced diffusion, to create highly controlled environments for sensitive and high-throughput biological experiments.
Functional proteins are essential for all living systems, and understanding their function is critical for fields like drug discovery. However, traditional methods like ELISA and Western blotting are often time-consuming, require large sample volumes, and provide only endpoint measurements, which can obscure crucial kinetic information.
Microfluidic devices overcome these limitations by integrating sample handling, reaction, and detection into a single automated system. This enables rapid, label-free detection and real-time monitoring of protein-protein interactions and enzyme kinetics, ultimately providing a more comprehensive understanding of biological processes and a faster time-to-result.
Cancer Protein Detection
Detecting cancer protein markers is crucial for understanding cancer, but traditional methods face analytical challenges like protein heterogeneity and complex post-translational modifications. Advances in microfluidic chip technology overcome these hurdles, offering high-throughput, enhanced sensitivity, and reduced cost. For instance, a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microchip electrophoresis system facilitates the concurrent labeling and parallel separation of multiple samples. Similarly, a microfluidic immunohistochemistry (IHC) platform allows simultaneous detection of several cancer-related proteins on a single chip. Furthermore, combining microfluidics with mass spectrometry (MS) improves performance for high-throughput screening and detection. Coupling chip-based electrophoresis with nano-electrospray ionization MS, in particular, achieves heightened sensitivity for detecting trace-level biomarkers.
Fig.1 The benefits of employing microfluidic technology in detecting oncological biomarkers.1,3
Applications
The applications for our Microfluidic Development Service are vast and continue to expand across numerous scientific and clinical fields. Our technology is particularly valuable wherever rapid, sensitive, and real-time protein analysis is required.
Drug Discovery and High-Throughput Screening
Rapidly screen thousands of small molecules or biologics to identify potential drug candidates by measuring their binding affinity and kinetic rates in real-time.
Biomarker Detection and Diagnostics
Develop highly sensitive, point-of-care diagnostic devices for the early detection and monitoring of disease-specific protein biomarkers.
Enzymology and Proteomics
Characterize the catalytic activity and inhibition kinetics of enzymes, and analyze complex protein samples from cell lysates or biofluids.
Protein Engineering and Quality Control
Rapidly screen protein variants for desired functional properties and ensure the quality and activity of recombinant protein batches.
Single-Cell Analysis
Isolate and analyze proteins from individual cells to understand cellular heterogeneity and signaling pathways with single-cell resolution.
What We Can Offer
Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive portfolio of offerings designed to support your scientific and product development requirements. Our expertise spans the entire microfluidics value chain, providing you with a seamless and integrated experience.
Customized fabrication services using a variety of materials and designs.
A comprehensive service that includes chip design, fabrication, assay integration, and data analysis.
Functional Protein Detection Platforms
Development of tailored systems for high-throughput screening, protein-protein interaction analysis, and enzyme activity assays.
Microfluidic-based POCT Development
Creation of portable, point-of-care testing systems for rapid and convenient diagnostics.
A selection of validated, ready-to-use microfluidic chips for common applications and assays.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us
Creative Biolabs is a leader in microfluidic technology, offering a complete, one-stop solution for your functional protein detection needs. Our advantages are rooted in decades of expertise, a commitment to innovation, and a collaborative approach.
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One-Stop Solution: We handle every step, from initial design and fabrication to assay integration and data analysis, saving your time and resources.
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Cutting-Edge Technology: We utilize advanced microfluidic platforms that offer high-throughput capabilities, miniaturization, and low sample consumption.
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Published Data: Our published data demonstrates the reliability and performance of our microfluidic systems, confirming their high sensitivity and reproducibility.
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Customization: Our approach is not one-size-fits-all. We develop a unique solution that is perfectly tailored to your project's specific requirements.
Published Data
Fig.2 Operating concept of the magnetic-beads-based DMF immunoassay.2,3
A recent study examined the effect of bead quantity on a digital microfluidic immunoassay utilizing magnetic beads. The experiment utilized a digital microfluidic platform to precisely manipulate droplets containing varying numbers of functionalized magnetic beads. These beads were coated with antibodies to capture a target analyte, and the resulting signal was measured. The research demonstrated a direct correlation between the number of beads and the assay signal, confirming that optimizing bead concentration is critical for achieving high sensitivity and efficient performance. The findings showed that precise control over the bead number within each droplet led to significant improvements in assay reproducibility and enhanced the limit of detection, proving the value of microfluidic platforms for developing highly controlled and effective diagnostic assays.
FAQs
Q: What is the primary advantage of microfluidic protein detection over traditional methods like ELISA or Western blotting?
A: Microfluidic platforms offer a significant advantage by providing real-time, continuous data rather than a single endpoint measurement. This allows for the precise characterization of binding kinetics, enzymatic activity, and other dynamic functional parameters using minimal sample volume, which is crucial for limited or expensive biological materials.
Q: Can these platforms be adapted to detect different types of proteins, including low-abundance or complex targets?
A: Yes, these systems are highly adaptable. By customizing the microfluidic chip design, surface functionalization, and detection method, the platform can be optimized for a wide range of proteins, including those with low expression levels, membrane-bound proteins, or those in complex biological matrices.
Q: How does the manufacturing procedure guarantee consistent production and quality for these microfluidic chips?
A: The fabrication process uses established techniques such as photolithography, soft lithography, and precision molding. These methods allow for tight control over microchannel geometry and dimensions, ensuring that each chip is a precise replica of the original design. This consistency is essential for obtaining reproducible results across different experiments and projects.
Q: What types of data can be expected from a microfluidic protein detection assay?
A: The data generated can be highly quantitative and kinetic. Depending on the assay, you can expect to obtain detailed binding curves, kinetic association and dissociation rates, equilibrium dissociation constants, and enzymatic turnover rates, providing a deep functional insight into the protein's behavior.
Q: Is it possible to integrate multiple analysis steps, such as sample preparation and detection, onto a single chip?
A: Indeed, a fundamental benefit of microfluidics is its capacity to combine and streamline numerous workflow stages within one integrated "lab-on-a-chip" system. This can include sample pre-treatment, mixing, separation, and detection, which reduces manual handling, minimizes contamination, and accelerates the time to result.
Featured Services
Feature Products
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CAT No
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Material
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Product Name
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Application
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MFCH-001
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Glass
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Herringbone Microfluidic Chip
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Processing samples and reagents in Nucleic acid analysis, blood Analysis, immunoassays, and point-of-care diagnostics.
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MFMM-0723-JS12
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Glass
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Double Emulsion Droplet Chip
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Our double emulsion microfluidic chip, incorporating localized modifications and a classic flow-focusing structure, is specifically designed to generate stable and uniform double emulsion droplets.
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MFCH-005
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PDMS
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3D Cell Culture Chip-Neuron
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Neuron cell culture and study of axon transport, axon protein synthesis, axon damage/regeneration, signal transduction of axon to somatic signal.
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MFCH-009
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PDMS
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Synvivo-Idealized Co-Culture Network Chips (IMN2 radial)
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SynBBB 3D Blood Brain Barrier Model/SynRAM 3D Inflammation Model/SynTumor 3D Cancer Model/SynTox 3D Toxicology Model.
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MFMM1-GJS4
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COC
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BE-Doubleflow Standard
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Studying circulating particles, cell interactions, and simple organ-on-a-chip system construction.
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MFMM1-GJS6
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COC
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BE-Transflow Custom
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Used to construct a cell interface or Air-Liquid interface (ALI) to study more complex culture systems.
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Click Here to Explore Our Complete Product Catalog.
For detailed inquiries regarding our offerings, reach out to our specialists.
References
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Guo, Qiao-Ru et al. "Multifunctional microfluidic chip for cancer diagnosis and treatment." Nanotheranostics vol. 5,1 73-89. 1 Jan. 2021, https://doi.org/10.7150/ntno.49614
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Hsu, Wensyang et al. "Bead Number Effect in a Magnetic-Beads-Based Digital Microfluidic Immunoassay." Biosensors vol. 12,5 340. 16 May. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12050340
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Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
