VirCellChip

VirCellChip is the development of a system for the highly sensitive, rapid detection of viral antigens and cellular surface structures using a bead-based assay and dielectrophoretic accumulation in a microfluidic cartridge.

Background: The planned project is intended to serve as a platform system for the detection of cellular structures from human blood, bone marrow and for the detection of viral pathogens in diseases such as hepatitis B or C (HBV, HCV) or HIV, etc., where currently almost exclusively PCR-based diagnostic methods are used for investigation of the patient's blood can be used. The aim of the new method is, on the one hand, to use it to detect cellular structures as an alternative to FACS, with the information obtained primarily being used to diagnose and monitor the course of leukemia (blood cancer) and immunodeficiency diseases (HIV infection) and, on the other hand, as an alternative to PCR for Detection of viral pathogens in human blood.

Deficits: The PCR-based detection of viral pathogens is usually linked to highly specialized laboratories and equipment and requires relatively high test preparations. The presented system is intended to offer a cheaper and simpler alternative. The platform of the planned system should also be used as an alternative to complex cell sorting using FACS analyses. These analyzes have hitherto been tied to devices with complex equipment. As a pilot system for the detection of cellular structures, virus-infected cells with specific antibodies directed against viral antigens are to be used as a relatively simple detection system. Based on this, other blood cells and stem cells should then be detected on the chip using the established methods.

Need: The aim of the VirCellChip project is to detect cellular structures of tumor cells and intact virus particles with high sensitivity close to the patient. At present, this evidence can only be provided with a great deal of equipment and with the use of specialized personnel, so there is a great need for a diagnostic tool that is easy to use and inexpensive, and which allows the above-mentioned complex parameters to be measured without special knowledge and special laboratory equipment to determine. All of these requirements are met with the new VirCellChip platform to be established.

The project combines MST expertise and application know-how in diagnostics in order to develop diagnostics that can be used close to the patient to detect viral pathogens and cellular surface structures and offers the opportunity to expand the range of applications of MST.

It covers the entire value chain from scientific research in connection with viral pathogens and cell sorting (Univ. Tübingen, Children's Hospital) and development of diagnostic assays (Mediagnost GmbH) to micro and nanotechnology for life science applications (NMI), manufacturing technologies (Microfluidic ChipShop, IMT AG), system development (Multi Channel Systems GmbH), the provision of patient samples and their validation with established methods (Dr. Löer, Treder and colleagues) through to utilization (Mediagnost GmbH).