Towards an Integrated Microneedle Total Analysis Chip for Protein Detection

Real-time monitoring of an individual’s physiologic state without constant observation by a healthcare professional necessitates the construction of an autonomous remote diagnostic device that is capable of performing a wide range of diagnostic functions. For many applications, assessing the immediate physiologic state of an individual as he or she is continuously exposed to diverse environments would require complex dynamic chemical processing scenarios that are capable of real time readouts. We seek to answer these problems by combining in vivo microneedle platforms with multifunctional lab-on-chip electrode arrays that are capable of detecting a wide variety of relevant biomarkers. The results presented here provide an important proof-of-concept demonstration of integration of microneedles with a microchip platform containing fluidic channels and electrode transducers. As shown by immunoassay detection of myoglobin and troponin, such a device may be used to extract interstitial fluid and monitor biologically important molecules.