DEVELOPMENT OF MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIAGNOSIS AND SPERM CELL SORTING

In recent years, point-of-care (POC) microfluidic platforms have transformed the healthcare landscape as they offer rapid, low-cost, and easy operational benefits. POC diagnostics play an important role in expediting the testing process in resource-constrained areas. These platforms have become a powerful tool as they offer comparable results with gold-standard methods. The gold standard methods require sophisticated lab locations and expensive equipment, to process the samples which is a significant challenge particularly for people living in low-income countries. To address these limitations, herein, in my dissertation, I have developed POC microfluidic platforms that can be operated outside the laboratory using lesser equipment statistically hence reducing the testing cost and time. The developed POC chips are used for infectious diseases diagnosis for viruses such as Zika, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). The entire virus detection process was executed inside a uniquely designed, inexpensive, disposable self-driven microfluidic chip with high sensitivity and specificity. In addition to this, I have also developed a microfluidic platform for functional sperm cell sorting from raw semen samples. The microfluidic chip offers a platform where the sperm cells experience different shear stress in different parts of the chip that facilitates isolation of competent sperm cells without impacting their integrity. Simultaneously, it also allows effortless collection of sorted sperm cells from the collection chamber which holds clinical significance. All things considered, the developed devices are inexpensive, disposable, easy-to-use, and rapid that provide results within one hour.