ABSTRACT
To translate technological advances from the laboratory into deployable point of care (POC) diagnostics to detect infectious diseases in developing countries, it is necessary to develop a robust, low-cost, and highly sensitive quantitative bioassay platform. The persistent chasm between academic prototyping and real-world solutions must be bridged by developing a versatile and ‡eld-rugged platform technology that is widely deployable throughout the poorest areas of the world. The technology has to be sensitive and robust enough to be ef‡cacious in detecting speci‡c infections at their very onset. The entire system must be simple to use and extremely inexpensive. Detection strategies adequate for the laboratory, including expensive high-powered lasers and detector systems, have no place in the ‡eld. One of the popular methods to reduce the need for costly instruments and maintain accuracy and sensitivity in diagnostics is the advance in microŽuidics and lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technologies.
