Microfluidic biochip

Roberto Saracco January 12, 2016 Blog 144 Views

Using a new microfluidic chip researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign can count red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells at one tenth of the cost of a normal blood testing and with a procedure that does not require any specific training.
The chip is basically a microsensor that is fed with a single blood drop and uses micro fluidic channels to electrically count the blood cells singling out its different constituents (red, white and platelets).
The blood sample is placed on a credit card size disposable cartridge and then the cartridge is inserted in the device that performs the counting in steps, first the red blood cells, then the platelets and then the leukocytes. 
The cost per sample is of the order of 10$, one tenth of the cost of a normal blood test today, and results are available within ten minutes.
It is so simple to operate that researchers are expecting it to be used at home by patients, with the results transmitted electronically to the doctor.

About Roberto Saracco

Roberto Saracco fell in love with technology and its implications long time ago. His background is in math and computer science. Until April 2017 he led the EIT Digital Italian Node and then was head of the Industrial Doctoral School of EIT Digital up to September 2018. Previously, up to December 2011 he was the Director of the Telecom Italia Future Centre in Venice, looking at the interplay of technology evolution, economics and society. At the turn of the century he led a World Bank-Infodev project to stimulate entrepreneurship in Latin America. He is a senior member of IEEE where he leads the New Initiative Committee and co-chairs the Digital Reality Initiative. He is a member of the IEEE in 2050 Ad Hoc Committee. He teaches a Master course on Technology Forecasting and Market impact at the University of Trento. He has published over 100 papers in journals and magazines and 14 books.

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