3D-Printed Device Detects Biomarkers of Preterm Birth
May 23, 2019 | ACSEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Preterm birth (PTB) — defined as birth before the 37th week of gestation — is the leading complication of pregnancy. If doctors had a simple, accurate and inexpensive way to identify women at risk for the condition, they could develop better prevention strategies. Now researchers have created a 3D-printed microchip electrophoresis device that can sensitively detect three serum biomarkers of PTB.
According to the World Health Organization, PTB affects about 1 in 10 pregnancies worldwide. Preterm infants can suffer complications such as neurological, respiratory and cardiac problems and, in some cases, even death. Scientists have previously identified biomarker peptides and proteins in maternal serum that can fairly accurately predict PTB at 28 weeks of gestation. However, existing methods for detecting the biomarkers are laborious or not very sensitive. In prior research, Adam Woolley and colleagues used a 2D microfluidic device to separate PTB biomarkers by electrophoresis. But making these devices was slow, error-prone and costly. The process also required a cleanroom, caustic chemicals and highly trained personnel. Therefore, Woolley’s team wanted to develop a 3D-printed microchip device, which would be much simpler, faster and cheaper to make, for separating and detecting fluorescently labeled PTB biomarkers.
The researchers printed their device onto a glass slide using a 3D printer with a custom resin as the ink. To achieve the best separation of three peptide biomarkers by electrophoresis, they optimized the device design, as well as parameters such as applied voltages and buffer identity and composition. The 3D-printed microchip could detect the three PTB biomarkers in the picomolar to low nanomolar range, similar to their 2D microfluidic device. The researchers note that although these detection limits are still higher than the PTB risk levels for the biomarkers, they could increase the sensitivity by adding a component to the device that concentrates the peptides.
Suggested Items
The New Industry: Will the Growth Continue?
04/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamHow sustainable are the primary financial models in the United States regarding PCB fabrication shops? In this interview with economic experts Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner, we explore what’s happening with U.S. printed circuit board shops in today’s market, how consolidation affects the industry, and what can be done.
Warm Windows and Streamlined Skin Patches – IDTechEx Explores Flexible and Printed Electronics
04/26/2024 | IDTechExFlexible and printed electronics can be integrated into cars and homes to create modern aesthetics that are beneficial and easy to use. From luminous car controls to food labels that communicate the quality of food, the uses of this technology are endless and can upgrade many areas of everyday life.
Trackwise Awarded Prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation
04/24/2024 | TrackwiseTrackwise Designs plc, the innovative manufacturer of specialist products using printed circuit technology, is delighted to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Announced, Friday 21 April, Trackwise has been recognised for its excellence in Innovation for its length-unlimited, multilayer flexible printed circuits.
IDTechEx Report Unveils 3D Electronics Status and Opportunities
04/22/2024 | PRNewswire3D electronics is an emerging manufacturing approach that enables electronics to be integrated within or onto the surface of objects. 3D electronic manufacturing techniques empower new features, including mass customizability, greater integration, and improved sustainability in the electronics industry.
IDTechEx Discusses the Role of Printed Sensors in Mass-Digitization
04/11/2024 | PRNewswireIntegrated sensors digitizing physical interactions are vital in everyday life. From personalized user experiences to warehouse inventory management, data-driven insights are driving demand for smarter sensors — and lots of them.