Miniaturization in Futuristic Clinical Laboratory Medicine

Application of 3D Printing Technology in Increasing the Diagnostic Performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Infectious Diseases

“…The simplicity offered by 3D printing applications in the fields of microfluidics, LOC technologies and clinical laboratory medicine diagnostics [ 20 , 21 , 22 ], and the improved antibody detection sensitivity even using very diluted samples as noted in our study provides future opportunities for readjustments to be made, including potentially miniaturization to reduce time and amount of reagents needed, reducing cost including increasing portability of such ELISA-based diagnostics. The impact of these technologies in the use of ELISA systems for the rapid and accurate pathogen identification and serological diagnosis of infectious diseases such as in monitoring of infectious diseases during disease outbreaks or in the care of individual patients and its potential to reduce cost and time are crucial factors to consider especially in resource-constraint settings [ 10 , 27 , 28 ]. Additionally, the commonalities of principles and applications shared by the different disciplines such as health, food industry, environmental, chemistry, biomedical and engineering and the flexibility in designing-product development-feedback cycle offered through 3D printing platforms provide future opportunities to be explored [ 20 ].…”

“…Various 3D printing platforms, based on Fused Deposition Modeling ® (FDM) technologies exist that make use of polymer-based materials such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polyphenylsulfone (PPSF/PPSU) and other thermoplastics that are cheap, easy to fabricate and are disposable, all important aspects in various immunodetection systems [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. The potential of such newer fabrication technologies in the development of diagnostics and application in laboratory medicine must not be excluded [ 27 , 28 ].…”

Increased sensitivity of 3D-Well enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for infectious disease detection using 3D-printing fabrication technology

“…The utilization of newer technologies in the development of ELISA-based diagnostics and other disease identification devices are important in addressing the unmet needs for treatment and care of individual patients and to support public health surveillance strategies [25,26]. The rapid cycles offered by 3D printing in the designing through readily available design development software such as CAD and Insight 10.2™ job processing and management software in creating precise printing pathways to prototype development under highly accurate environments and equipment using readily available and low-cost polymer materials to allowing quick assessments and feedback, exemplified by this study, in the development of such ELISA-based and other devices are important considerations in meeting these needs and in ensuring the performance of highly sensitive assays [17,23].…”

“…The impact of newer platforms based on improved micromanufacturing technologies in the development of ELISA-based systems for the rapid and accurate pathogen identification and serological diagnosis of infectious diseases such as in surveillance strategies during disease outbreaks or in the treatment and care of individual patients and its potential to reduce cost and time and increase portability are crucial factors especially in resource-constraint settings [8,25,26]. Additionally, the flexibility offered through 3D printing platforms in the cycles of designing-product developmentfeedback including addressing the improvements and commercialization of various prototypes will provide future opportunities to be explored in the different disciplines that share generic principles and applications such as in the fields of health, food industry, environmental, chemistry, biomedical and engineering.…”

“…The use of wax-based polymers and other thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) among others, which are easily fabricated, modified to become more hydrophilic enhancing surface-protein adsorption and disposable due to its low cost, are important aspects in the development of ELISA-based systems [5,11,14,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. The potential of such fabrication technologies in the development of diagnostics for infectious and other diseases and its potential impact in improving disease diagnosis, treatment, care and support, and prevention must not be excluded [25,26].…”