(427b) Engineering Paper Microfluidic Sensors for Point-of-Care Applications in Low-Resource Settings

needed for use in low-resource settings. The conventional lateral flow test is the standard bioassay

format for point-of-care applications in these settings due to its rapid time to result, ease of use, and

low cost. However, for many analytes, conventional lateral flow tests lack the sensitivity to have

clinical utility. The rapidly growing field of â??paperâ? microfluidics has the potential to address this

issue. In particular, we are developing paper-based devices that can automatically perform multi-step

sample processing for high-sensitivity detection in a format that is appropriate for use in low-resource

settings. Key to the successful operation of these devices is the development of a â??paper microfluidics

toolbox� for controlling flow and metering multiple small volumes of fluids within devices. This

presentation will highlight tools development in the context of applications for infectious disease

diagnosis (e.g., malaria and influenza) and therapy monitoring (e.g., for phenylketonuria treatment) in

low-resource settings.