Are you currently facing challenges with long assay times, high sample consumption, or complex, multi-step nucleic acid analysis workflows? Creative Biolabs' Microfluidic Chip Development Services help you streamline your research and obtain high-quality, reproducible results by integrating multiple laboratory operations onto a single, miniaturized platform. We provide custom solutions through advanced microfluidic engineering and innovative chip fabrication techniques.
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Background
Microfluidics is the science and technology of manipulating fluids through micro-channels, with dimensions on the order of micrometers. This "lab-on-a-chip" (LOC) technology enables the integration of multiple laboratory operations, such as sample processing, mixing, and analysis, onto a single, miniaturized chip. For nucleic acid research, microfluidic devices offer profound advantages by overcoming the limitations of conventional methods. They allow for the precise control of picoliter to nanoliter volumes, which is crucial for handling precious or low-volume samples.
Click the link to check more detailed applications of microfluidics for nucleic acids.
Microfluidic technology is at the forefront of modern nucleic acid analysis, with extensive scientific literature demonstrating its transformative potential. These platforms enable the seamless integration of key nucleic acid analysis steps—from initial sample lysis and nucleic acid extraction, to purification, amplification (such as PCR and LAMP), and final real-time detection—into a single, closed system. This automated integration dramatically reduces manual handling, slashes contamination risks, and accelerates time-to-result. Due to the small reaction volumes, the technology also facilitates enhanced mass transfer and faster reaction kinetics, leading to improved assay sensitivity. The application of these systems to isolate and detect nucleic acids from diverse biological samples, including whole blood, saliva, and urine, is paving the way for portable, rapid, and user-friendly diagnostic tools. Recent advancements in the field, such as advanced micro-channel designs for efficient fluidic control and on-chip solid-phase extraction, are key to delivering highly sensitive and robust results for point-of-care diagnostics and field-based applications.
Fig.1 Nucleic acid detection by microfluidics. 1,3
Applications
The application of microfluidic chip technology for nucleic acid analysis is vast and continues to expand across various scientific disciplines.
Molecular Diagnostics
Microfluidic chips are revolutionizing disease diagnosis, enabling rapid, portable, and accurate detection of pathogens and genetic markers at the point of care.
Genetic Analysis
They are used for high-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, gene expression analysis, and targeted sequencing.
Food Safety and Environmental Monitoring
Microfluidic devices provide a rapid and efficient way to detect food-borne pathogens or environmental contaminants by analyzing nucleic acid markers from samples.
On-Site Testing
The portability and simplified workflow of chip-based systems make them perfect for on-site testing in resource-limited settings or field research.
What We Can Offer
At Creative Biolabs, our services are designed to provide a comprehensive solution for all your microfluidic needs related to nucleic acids. We offer:
Custom design and fabrication of microfluidic devices for specific nucleic acid applications, including PCR, dPCR, and isothermal amplification.
We offer fabrication services using a variety of materials, including PDMS, glass, silicon, and thermoplastics, to meet your specific project requirements.
Assay-on-Chip Integration
We specialize in integrating and optimizing your existing nucleic acid assays onto our microfluidic platforms for enhanced performance.
From initial concept and design to final prototyping and validation, we provide a complete, end-to-end service.
We provide ready-to-use microfluidic chips that are pre-coated or pre-functionalized for specific applications, saving you time and effort in your research.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us
Choosing Creative Biolabs means partnering with a team that combines deep scientific expertise with a commitment to innovation and customer success. Our proven approach ensures that your project is not just a success, but a true advancement in your field.
Our Key Advantages:
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Expertise in Complex Assays: Our team has extensive experience in miniaturizing a wide range of nucleic acid assays, including digital PCR (dPCR) and Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP), into highly efficient chip-based formats.
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Published Data: Our microfluidic platforms have demonstrated superior performance in internal and collaborative projects, achieving low limits of detection and high specificity.
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Customization and Integration: We do not offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Our services are fully customizable, allowing us to integrate multiple complex steps like sample lysis, DNA extraction, amplification, and detection onto a single chip.
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Accelerated Development Cycle: Our streamlined process and advanced fabrication techniques significantly reduce the time from concept to a validated, functional prototype, getting your research to market faster.
Fig.2 Chip using a single chamber for NA isolation, isothermal amplification, and real-time detection.2,3
The experimental method utilized a portable NAAT device with a plastic microfluidic chip. Nucleic acids were first isolated from a blood sample using a glass fiber matrix. These captured nucleic acids were then isothermally amplified at a constant temperature of approximately 65 °C. For detection, the production of amplicons was monitored in real-time using fluorescence, which could be detected by a low-cost device such as a smartphone camera. The system demonstrated a Limit of Detection (LOD) of better than 103 virons per sample. A modified "nucleometer" chip was also tested, which used an amplification-diffusion conduit to visually represent the concentration of nucleic acids. This method was also monitored with a smartphone camera and achieved an improved LOD of 350 copies of HIV per mL of plasma.
FAQs
Q: In what scientific aspects do microfluidic nucleic acid chips surpass conventional analytical techniques?
A: Microfluidic platforms offer precise control over fluid movement at the microscale, enabling the manipulation of picoliter to nanoliter volumes. This miniaturization reduces reagent consumption and enhances reaction kinetics due to shorter diffusion distances, leading to faster assay times. By integrating multiple steps onto a single chip, the risk of contamination from manual handling is also significantly reduced.
Q: How can complex biological samples, like whole blood, be processed on a microfluidic chip?
A: The architecture allows integration of sample preparation modules directly on-chip. These modules are engineered to perform functions such as cell lysis, protein removal, and nucleic acid extraction using methods like solid-phase purification or magnetic bead-based separation. This ensures a clean nucleic acid template is available for downstream amplification and detection.
Q: What is the scientific basis for multiplexing multiple assays on a single chip?
A: Microfluidic designs leverage parallel channel networks or unique flow-control mechanisms to run multiple reactions simultaneously. Different micro-chambers or reaction zones can be functionalized with unique probes, allowing for the concurrent detection of multiple genetic targets from a single sample. This high level of integration dramatically increases throughput without increasing device footprint.
Q: What impact does microfluidic miniaturization exert on the limit of detection (LOD)?
A: The small volumes used in microfluidic channels lead to a higher concentration of the target analyte within the reaction zone. This increased local concentration enhances the signal-to-noise ratio, often resulting in a lower and more sensitive limit of detection compared to traditional macroscopic methods.
Q: How is a complex, multi-step workflow automated on a single microfluidic device?
A: The automation is achieved through precise fluidic control, often driven by pressure, pumps, or capillary action. The chip's architecture is designed to guide the sample sequentially through pre-defined reaction chambers, each performing a specific function, from extraction and purification to amplification and detection. The entire process is controlled by an external instrument, eliminating manual intervention between steps.
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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Mumtaz, Zilwa et al. "Prospects of Microfluidic Technology in Nucleic Acid Detection Approaches." Biosensors vol. 13,6 584. 27 May. 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13060584
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Mauk, Michael G et al. "Integrated Microfluidic Nucleic Acid Isolation, Isothermal Amplification, and Amplicon Quantification." Microarrays (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 4,4 474-89. 20 Oct. 2015, https://doi.org/10.3390/microarrays4040474
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Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
