At Creative Biolabs, we specialize in delivering integrated microfluidic solutions that solve real-world problems in molecular diagnostics. Our service focuses on harnessing the power of isothermal nucleic acid amplification (such as LAMP, NASBA, and RPA) within miniaturized, integrated chip platforms. We help you move beyond traditional, lab-bound methods to a rapid, decentralized testing paradigm. Our solutions integrate sample preparation, amplification, and real-time detection on a single, compact device, providing a complete sample-to-answer system. Our goal is to create a custom device that is fast, sensitive, and perfectly tailored to your specific application.
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Background
Microfluidics, controlling fluids at micrometer dimensions, transforms molecular diagnostics through miniaturizing and automating intricate laboratory workflows. Fundamentally, this technology consolidates multiple analytical stages—including specimen processing, reaction, and analysis—within a unified sub-centimeter-scale integrated circuit. This transformative evolution resolves constraints of traditional approaches, customarily demanding bulky equipment, substantial sample quantities, and central-location laboratory infrastructure.
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods, such as Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP), Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), and Nucleic Acid Sequence Based Amplification (NASBA), represent a breakthrough in molecular testing. Unlike traditional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which requires rapid and repetitive temperature cycling, these methods operate at a single, constant temperature. This simplifies the hardware requirements, reduces energy consumption, and significantly shortens the time-to-result, making them ideal for point-of-care and resource-limited settings.
Fig. 1 Genomic DNA amplification and barcoding.1,4
The integration of microfluidics with isothermal amplification creates a powerful synergy. A microfluidic chip can be designed to perform all the necessary functions for a complete diagnostic test—from lysing the sample and extracting the nucleic acid to executing the isothermal amplification reaction and detecting the result—all within a single, disposable device. This integration prevents cross-contamination, reduces manual handling, and delivers results in a fraction of the time. The combination of these technologies provides a portable, robust, and cost-effective solution for a wide range of molecular diagnostic challenges.
Applications
Our microfluidic chip development service is designed to enable a broad range of applications that benefit from rapid, on-site nucleic acid detection. These include:
Clinical and Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Rapid and accurate detection of infectious diseases (e.g., viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens) at the patient's bedside or in the field, enabling timely treatment decisions.
Food Safety and Environmental Monitoring
On-site screening of food products and water sources for contaminants, ensuring public health and safety.
Agricultural and Veterinary Diagnostics
Timely detection of plant and animal pathogens to prevent disease spread and minimize economic losses.
On-Site Bioprocess and Quality Control
Monitoring the presence of specific microorganisms or genetic markers in biomanufacturing processes to ensure product quality and consistency.
Molecular Research and Drug Discovery
Enabling rapid, small-volume screening and analysis of nucleic acids in research and development settings.
What We Can Offer
Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive suite of services and products to support your molecular diagnostics project, ensuring a seamless and efficient development process from start to finish. Our offerings include:
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Custom Microfluidic Chip Design & Fabrication: We design and manufacture microfluidic chips tailored to your specific application, from a single-channel device to complex, multi-functional lab-on-a-chip systems.
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Isothermal Assay Integration & Optimization: Our experts will integrate and optimize your chosen isothermal amplification assay (e.g., LAMP, RPA) to ensure maximum performance and sensitivity on our microfluidic platforms.
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One-Stop Microfluidic Solution: We provide a full-service solution that includes everything from initial concept and design to manufacturing and final product validation.
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Consumables and Reagents: We can provide a reliable supply of validated, high-quality consumables and reagents specifically formulated for our microfluidic platforms.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us
Creative Biolabs' approach to microfluidic chip development is defined by our scientific expertise, cutting-edge technology, and unwavering commitment to client success. We don't just provide a service; we offer a partnership focused on delivering a truly transformative solution. Our unique advantages are grounded in published data and real-world results.
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Speed & Efficiency: Our integrated platforms significantly reduce the time from sample collection to result, which is critical for point-of-care (POC) and field diagnostics.
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Cost-Effectiveness: The miniaturized nature of our chips requires minimal sample and reagent volumes, leading to significant cost savings per test.
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Automation & Ease of Use: We design chips that automate complex workflows, eliminating the need for extensive training and reducing the risk of human error and contamination.
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High Sensitivity & Specificity: Our optimized platforms and robust isothermal chemistries deliver diagnostic accuracy comparable to or exceeding conventional lab methods, even with low concentrations of target nucleic acids.
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Scalable Production: Whether you need a few prototypes or thousands of units for commercial use, our fabrication methods are designed for seamless and cost-effective scaling.
Published Data
Fig 2. Three dimensional structure of the microfluidic chip.2,4
The article details the development and validation of a two-stage isothermal amplification microfluidic chip for rapid, parallel detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Measles virus. The experimental design combined an initial Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) with a subsequent fluorescence-based Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) to achieve high sensitivity. The microfluidic chip, fabricated from PMMA, was designed as a disc with microstructures for both reactions, and the system used minimal sample and reagent volumes (2.1 μL for RPA and 10.6 μL for LAMP). The study's results demonstrated the system's effectiveness. In a controlled laboratory setting, the lowest detection limit was found to be approximately 10 copies of the target nucleic acid. For clinical validation, the system was tested on roughly 40 nasopharyngeal swab samples. The outcomes proved exceptionally robust, achieving perfect detection for Measles virus (100% sensitivity/specificity) and demonstrating notable diagnostic accuracy for SARS-CoV-2 (95.83% sensitivity, 94.12% specificity).The findings conclude that this system is a viable, low-cost solution for molecular diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited or point-of-care environments.
FAQs
Q: How does a microfluidic platform enhance isothermal amplification compared to a standard tube-based reaction?
A: Integrating isothermal amplification onto a microfluidic chip provides superior thermal control and reaction kinetics. The high surface-area-to-volume ratio within the microchannels allows for rapid heat transfer, ensuring a consistent and uniform temperature across the reaction. This precise thermal environment minimizes off-target amplification and improves overall reaction efficiency and speed, providing more reliable results than traditional bulk tube-based methods.
Q: What are the key advantages of using a microfluidic system for nucleic acid extraction from complex samples?
A: Our integrated microfluidic systems are designed to address the challenges of complex sample matrices (e.g., blood, soil, or food). We can incorporate on-chip steps for cell lysis and purification, effectively isolating nucleic acids while removing inhibitors that can interfere with amplification. This automation eliminates manual handling and ensures a clean template for a robust and sensitive downstream reaction, which is a major advantage over manual lab procedures.
Q: How do you ensure the high sensitivity and specificity of your microfluidic-based assays?
A: We ensure high performance through a multi-faceted approach. First, our team specializes in primer design, developing sets that are highly specific to your target and optimized for isothermal chemistry. We then validate these primers on our microfluidic platforms, meticulously testing them for sensitivity and specificity to ensure a low limit of detection and a high confidence in your results. Finally, our rigorous quality control and validation protocols guarantee the consistent performance of every chip.
Q: What types of detection methods can be integrated into your microfluidic chips?
A: Our platforms are versatile and can be designed to support various detection methods. We most commonly integrate fluorescence-based detection for its high sensitivity and quantitative capabilities. However, we can also incorporate colorimetric detection for simple, visual readouts, or more advanced electrochemical detection for specific applications.
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 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 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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Pellegrino, Maurizio et al. "High-throughput single-cell DNA sequencing of acute myeloid leukemia tumors with droplet microfluidics." Genome research vol. 28,9 (2018): 1345-1352. https://doi.org/10.1101/gr.232272.117
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Huang, Qin et al. "Microfluidic Chip with Two-Stage Isothermal Amplification Method for Highly Sensitive Parallel Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Measles Virus." Micromachines vol. 12,12 1582. 19 Dec. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12121582
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Fergola, Andrea et al. "Droplet Generation and Manipulation in Microfluidics: A Comprehensive Overview of Passive and Active Strategies." Biosensors vol. 15,6 345. 29 May. 2025, https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15060345
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Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
