Revolutionary Microchip Unveils Virus Response in Record 90 Minutes
Scientists at Scripps Research have pioneered a groundbreaking microchip technology capable of determining a person’s antibody response to viruses using merely a drop of blood. Remarkably, this process takes a mere 90 minutes. This innovative technology, known as mEM (microfluidics combined with electron microscopy), compresses a week’s worth of lab work into a swift 90-minute procedure.
This technological advancement offers researchers rapid, lucid insights that could significantly expedite vaccine development and antibody discovery. “This allows us to capture a quick snapshot of antibodies as they evolve following a vaccine or pathogen exposure,” elucidates Andrew Ward, a professor in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at Scripps Research and the senior author of the study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
When an individual is infected with a virus or receives a vaccine, their immune system generates new antibodies to identify the foreign invader. This novel microchip technology can swiftly evaluate the effectiveness of these antibodies against pathogens, delivering vital data for the creation of more potent treatments and vaccines.
Source: ScienceDaily