3D-PRINTED ELECTROCHEMICAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE FOR POINT-OF-CARE TESTING OF ISCHEMIC STROKE

Ischaemic stroke is a major cause of death and disability, affecting 15 million people worldwide each year. Clinical studies have demonstrated that brain damage induced by ischemia is associated with high iron levels. Transferrin (Tf) is a disease biomarker related to iron metabolism, and the transferrin saturation (TSAT), defined as the ratio of transferrin-bound iron (Tf-bound iron) and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), is considered an important biomarker for anemia and ischemia [1]. Among emerging micro- and nanotechnologies to design 'smart biosensors' and analytical devices, additive manufacturing stands out. Among others, 3D printing for electrochemical microfluidic devices (3D-EMDs) manufacturing is affordable, versatile, customizable, and extremely promising for the development of a new generation of point-of-care testing devices (POCT) [2]. In our Group, different low-cost paper-based analytical devices have been developed for TSAT assessment [3], however, the integration of the ‘immunoassay step’, required to isolate transferrin from serum samples, is still a challenge. To solve this issue, an innovative 3D-EMD was tailored designed and manufactured. The 3D device integrates the immunoassay procedure, ensuring at the same time the dual electrochemical detection of Tf-bound iron and TIBC, allowing TSAT assessment in serum samples of ischemic stroke-diagnosed patients. Given the promising results achieved, we can state that the 3D device proposed has enormous potential as POCT, one step forward to decentralized medicine.