Perspective - (2025) Volume 15, Issue 6
Received: 01-Dec-2025, Manuscript No. jbbs-25-178301;
Editor assigned: 03-Dec-2025, Pre QC No. P-178301;
Reviewed: 17-Dec-2025, QC No. Q-178301;
Revised: 22-Dec-2025, Manuscript No. R-178301;
Published:
29-Dec-2025
, DOI: 10.37421/2155-9538.2025.15.512
Citation: ”Microfluidics: Revolutionizing Pointof- Care Diagnostics Speed and Accuracy.” J Bioengineer & Biomedical Sci 15 (2025):512.
Copyright: © 2025 Wei C. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems are revolutionizing diagnostics by enabling rapid, sensitive, and portable point-of-care (POC) testing. These microfluidic devices integrate multiple laboratory functions onto a single chip, facilitating sample preparation, reaction, and detection within a miniaturized and automated platform. Their reduced reagent consumption, shorter analysis times, and improved portability make them ideal for decentralized healthcare settings and applications where immediate results are critical. Current advancements in LOC technology are focused on achieving multiplexed detection capabilities and enhancing sensitivity through novel sensing mechanisms, alongside integration with wireless communication for seamless data management and remote monitoring. The Department of Medical Imaging and Diagnostics is actively exploring LOC technologies for their potential in infectious disease detection and the precise quantification of various biomarkers, aiming to improve diagnostic accessibility and efficiency in diverse clinical scenarios [1].
Paper-based microfluidic devices have emerged as a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative for POC diagnostics, leveraging the natural capillary action of porous paper to manipulate fluids without the need for external pumps. These devices simplify assay formats, making them particularly suitable for resource-limited environments. The integration of colorimetric, electrochemical, and fluorescent detection methods allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple analytes, which is crucial for comprehensive disease screening and diagnosis. The potential to integrate these paper-based systems with smartphone readers further enhances their accessibility, enabling widespread use in remote or underserved areas and facilitating rapid, on-site health assessments [2].
A novel electrochemical biosensor integrated into a microfluidic chip has been developed for the rapid detection of viral antigens. This innovative chip design incorporates microelectrodes and microchannels that facilitate efficient sample loading and direct electrochemical signal transduction. Significant emphasis has been placed on achieving exceptionally high sensitivity and specificity through the precise immobilization of antibodies onto the electrode surface, ensuring reliable detection of target analytes. The developed system demonstrates considerable potential for both quantitative and qualitative analysis of infectious agents directly at the point-of-care, offering a substantial reduction in turnaround times compared to traditional laboratory-based methods, thus accelerating diagnostic workflows [3].
Optical detection methods, specifically fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), are being integrated into microfluidic devices to enhance POC diagnostic capabilities. These miniaturized optical components and precisely engineered microfluidic channels are designed to optimize light-matter interactions, thereby significantly improving the detection limits for various biomarkers of interest. The review also addresses the inherent challenges associated with integrating essential optical components, such as light sources, detectors, and optical pathways, onto a single chip while simultaneously striving to maintain high performance and affordability to facilitate widespread adoption and clinical utility [4].
Droplet microfluidics offers a powerful approach for high-throughput screening and diagnosis, enabling precise control over reaction conditions through the encapsulation of reagents and samples in discrete picoliter or nanoliter droplets. This technology allows for the parallel processing of a vast number of assays, significantly increasing throughput and efficiency. The focus of current research is on developing robust droplet-based systems for critical applications such as nucleic acid amplification and immunoassay detection, showcasing their considerable suitability for rapid and sensitive POC testing, particularly in the context of infectious disease diagnostics where speed is paramount [5].
Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are being incorporated into microfluidic devices to enhance particle manipulation and analyte enrichment, thereby improving the overall efficiency and sensitivity of POC diagnostic assays. SAWs provide a means for precise control over fluid and particle movement within microchannels, leading to more effective sample processing and analyte capture. The development of SAW-driven microfluidic systems for the pre-concentration of low-abundance biomarkers prior to detection is a key area of research, demonstrating significant potential for improving the accuracy and reliability of POC diagnostic results, especially for analytes present at very low concentrations [6].
Microfluidic devices are increasingly being developed for the rapid and multiplexed detection of cardiac biomarkers, a capability that is essential for the immediate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction at the point-of-care. This area of research explores various microfluidic platforms and detection strategies, including advanced immunoassays and nucleic acid-based detection methods, which can simultaneously measure multiple cardiac markers. Such comprehensive assessments are vital for providing a more complete and timely evaluation of cardiac health, enabling quicker clinical interventions and improved patient outcomes in critical cardiovascular events [7].
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) with microfluidic POC diagnostic systems represents a significant frontier in healthcare. AI/ML algorithms are being developed to analyze the complex and high-volume data generated by these microfluidic devices, with the aim of substantially improving diagnostic accuracy, facilitating early disease detection, and enabling personalized treatment recommendations. The potential for real-time data interpretation and predictive diagnostics through these advanced computational approaches is a key focus, promising to transform how diseases are identified and managed [8].
Addressing the critical challenge of sample preparation within microfluidic POC devices, research is focusing on methods for efficient cell lysis and nucleic acid extraction. Novel integrated microfluidic modules are being developed to automate these essential pre-analytical steps, ensuring consistent and high-yield recovery of target molecules. This advancement is paramount for guaranteeing the reliable performance of downstream molecular diagnostic assays conducted at the point-of-care, thereby enhancing the overall accuracy and effectiveness of molecular diagnostics in decentralized settings [9].
A versatile microfluidic platform has been introduced for the point-of-care detection of bacterial infections. This innovative system effectively integrates essential processes including sample input, pathogen concentration, and on-chip culture, followed by rapid molecular detection. The platform has demonstrated notable effectiveness in identifying common bacterial pathogens with high sensitivity and specificity, representing a significant improvement over traditional culture-based methods in terms of speed, portability, and suitability for immediate clinical settings where timely identification is crucial for patient management [10].
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems represent a paradigm shift in diagnostics, enabling rapid, sensitive, and portable point-of-care (POC) testing. These microfluidic devices integrate multiple laboratory functions onto a single chip, facilitating sample preparation, reaction, and detection. Their miniaturization and automation reduce reagent consumption, shorten analysis times, and improve portability, making them ideal for decentralized healthcare settings. Current advancements focus on multiplexed detection, enhanced sensitivity through novel sensing mechanisms, and integration with wireless communication for data management. The Department of Medical Imaging and Diagnostics is actively exploring LOC technologies for infectious disease detection and biomarker quantification [1].
This article highlights the development of paper-based microfluidic devices as a cost-effective and user-friendly platform for POC diagnostics. These devices leverage the capillary action of porous paper to manipulate fluids, enabling simple assay formats that do not require external pumps. The focus is on integrating colorimetric, electrochemical, and fluorescent detection methods for the simultaneous detection of multiple analytes, which is crucial for comprehensive disease screening. The potential for integration with smartphone readers further enhances their accessibility in resource-limited environments [2].
This research presents a novel electrochemical biosensor integrated into a microfluidic chip for the rapid detection of viral antigens. The chip design incorporates microelectrodes and a microchannel for efficient sample loading and electrochemical signal transduction. Emphasis is placed on achieving high sensitivity and specificity through antibody immobilization on the electrode surface. The developed system demonstrates the potential for quantitative and qualitative analysis of infectious agents at the POC, reducing turnaround times compared to traditional laboratory methods [3].
The article explores the integration of optical detection methods, specifically fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), within microfluidic devices for POC diagnostics. It discusses how miniaturized optical components and microfluidic channels enhance light-matter interactions, leading to improved detection limits for biomarkers. The review also addresses the challenges of integrating light sources, detectors, and optical pathways onto a single chip while maintaining performance and affordability for widespread adoption [4].
This study demonstrates the application of droplet microfluidics for high-throughput screening and diagnosis. By encapsulating reagents and samples in discrete picoliter or nanoliter droplets, it enables precise control over reaction conditions and allows for parallel processing of a large number of assays. The work focuses on developing droplet-based systems for nucleic acid amplification and immunoassay detection, showcasing their suitability for rapid and sensitive POC testing, particularly for infectious diseases [5].
This paper details the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices incorporating surface acoustic waves (SAWs) for enhanced particle manipulation and analyte enrichment. SAWs can be used for precise movement of fluids and particles within microchannels, improving assay efficiency and sensitivity. The authors present a SAW-driven microfluidic system for the pre-concentration of low-abundance biomarkers prior to detection, demonstrating its potential for improving POC diagnostic accuracy [6].
This review focuses on the development of microfluidic devices for rapid and multiplexed detection of cardiac biomarkers, which is crucial for immediate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction at the POC. The article discusses various microfluidic platforms and detection strategies, including immunoassays and nucleic acid-based detection, that can simultaneously measure multiple cardiac markers to provide a more comprehensive assessment of cardiac health [7].
This paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) with microfluidic POC diagnostic systems. The authors discuss how AI/ML algorithms can be used to analyze complex data generated by microfluidic devices, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy, early disease detection, and personalized treatment recommendations. The potential for real-time data interpretation and predictive diagnostics is a key focus [8].
This study addresses the challenge of sample preparation in microfluidic POC devices, focusing on methods for efficient cell lysis and nucleic acid extraction. The authors present a novel integrated microfluidic module that automates these crucial pre-analytical steps, ensuring consistent and high-yield recovery of target molecules. This advancement is critical for the reliable performance of downstream molecular diagnostic assays performed at the POC [9].
This research introduces a versatile microfluidic platform designed for the point-of-care detection of bacterial infections. The system integrates sample input, pathogen concentration, and on-chip culture followed by rapid molecular detection. The authors demonstrate its effectiveness in identifying common bacterial pathogens with high sensitivity and specificity, offering a significant improvement over traditional culture-based methods in terms of speed and portability for clinical settings [10].
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems and paper-based microfluidic devices are transforming point-of-care (POC) diagnostics with their rapid, sensitive, and portable capabilities. Advancements include electrochemical biosensors for viral antigen detection, optical methods like SPR for improved biomarker detection, and droplet microfluidics for high-throughput analysis. Surface acoustic waves are enhancing particle manipulation and analyte enrichment in microfluidic systems. Efforts are underway to develop microfluidic platforms for multiplexed detection of cardiac biomarkers and bacterial infections, improving diagnostic speed and accuracy. Furthermore, integration with AI/ML is enhancing data analysis for improved diagnostic outcomes. Crucially, microfluidic sample preparation techniques are being refined to ensure reliable molecular diagnostics at the POC.
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Journal of Bioengineering & Biomedical Science received 307 citations as per Google Scholar report
