An impedance based microfluidic biosensor for white blood cell counting

• Main Author: Lim, Cheryl Shu Ching
• Other Authors: Hou Han Wei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/77324
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the process of collection of biological samples for testing, the issue of insufficient samples has been a perennial issue for a variety of reasons, whether due to unsuitability caused by improper storage conditions or the difficulty in re-collection of fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid. Currently, biological samples need to be sent to laboratories for lengthy and costly processing, with the use of dyes and other staining methods applied for cell identification accounting for a significant portion of testing costs. This project aims to resolve the above problems through the development of a portable, microfluidic chip suited for point-of-care testing, able to provide immediate and accurate results cost-effectively in a palm-sized device. The concept of an integrated microfluidic chip is novel because of the unprecedented convenience it offers to its users within the biomedical sector; based on the principles of inertial microfluidics and impedance cytometry, it enables particles of different sizes to be sorted and counted fast without the need for full laboratory facilities. Among other things, applications for such a chip would include detecting of rare cells in biological samples, for example, the presence of neutrophils in urine which might be indicative of a urinary tract infection.