From Diagnostics to BiognostiX

A symposium focusing on the results of a 3-year EU-funded programme to design a novel fibre-based microfluidic technology to enables rapid and simple point-of-use diagnostic testing will be held at the Hauser Forum, Cambridge, UK, on 27 February 2014.

The BiognostiX™ consortium, headed by experts at FFEI Life Science, has brought together academic, research and commercial partners from five European countries, and now the symposium ‘Leading the way from diagnostics to BiognostiX’, will feature presentations from each, accelerating the process of disseminating the proof of principle data generated as part of the project.

George Hutchinson, Director, FFEI Life Science, said, “We are at a very exciting stage in the development of the programme and we are keen to meet new partners who have a need for the BiognostiX technology. Rapid, low cost, multiplex diagnostic testing on this simple device is an appealing option for a wide range of applications, in veterinary, agri-food and human diagnostic, for example.”

The desired assay biochemistry, microfluidics and a novel particle technology platform are combined on a BiognostiX Chip™. Composed of a fibre-based substrate, each BiognostiX Chip is mechanically treated to create a microfluidic channel pattern. Reagents are deposited using fluid-jet technologies to deliver picolitre quantities of capture complex – Immuno-Ink™ – into specific zones of the channels.

The simplicity and flexibility of the manufacturing process allows for changes in chip configuration during the assay development process. The number of microfluidic channels can be varied depending on assay requirements and the residence time of the sample can be adjusted to control the interaction time between the sample and the Immuno-Ink. The output of the immunoassays can be quantified using densiometric, colorimetric or fluorometric techniques. Once the biochemistry and chip are optimised, they are then fixed for simple, low-cost manufacture.For further information on the BiognostiX platform or the symposium, contact: info@biognostix.co.uk