Fabrication of a full-paper point of care platform by additive manufacturing – CAREFAB

Over the last decade, recurrent disease outbreak induced an ever-increasing demand upon cost reduction and improved security of diagnosis/prognosis making tools. The aim of the CAREFAB project is to develop a fully printable microfluidic paper-based device (µPAD) for multiplexed blood group genotyping, HIV DRM detection assay and the associated fabrication process. The proposed technology will use new methods to i) print and encapsulate into paper cellulose fluidic paths and resistors/Peltier devices for the sample in situ thermal treatment and ii) to detect nucleic acid targets through a porous support at constant temperature with a colorimetric detection. Molecular probes can be immobilized on the cellulose path. Then samples migrate by capillarity through the porous path, optimising target and probe molecule interactions. Major advantages of this microfluidic sensor are that: it is a self-operating device that performs rapid assays from a single sample, it provides results by visual readout and, owing to the printing fabrication process, it can be produced in small delocalized units.