Unpowered Microfluidics Chip; Quick Results
January 8, 2013 | Terry Sharrer
MicroRNA’s are molecules that regulate gene expression in a range of biological functions from cell proliferation to apoptosis, and can be found in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Knowing this, scientists at Japan’s RIKEN Advanced Science Institute have developed a microfluidics chip that can capture microRNA’s from extremely small samples in about 20 minutes time. The enabling technology for this is a silicon compound known for its air absorption capability that produces a pump-like air flow across the chip without an external power source. This suggests a breakthrough in point-of-care devices. MORE