Lab-on-DVD: standard DVD drives as a novel laser scanning microscope for image based point of care diagnostics

Abstract

We present a novel "Lab-on-DVD" system and demonstrate its capability for rapid and low-cost HIV diagnostics by counting CD4+ cells isolated from whole blood. We show that a commercial DVD drive can, with certain modifications, be turned into an improved DVD-based laser scanning microscope (DVD-LSM). The system consists of a multi-layered disposable polymer disc and a modified commercial DVD reader with rotational control for sample handling, temperature control for optimized bioassay, a photodiode array for detection, and software for signal processing and user interface - all the necessary components required for a truly integrated lab-on-a-chip system, with the capability to deliver high-resolution images down to 1 μm in size. Using discs modified with antibodies, we specifically captured CD4+ cells from whole blood, demonstrating single cell resolution imaging. The novel integrated DVD platform with sub-micron image resolution brings, for the first time, affordable cellular diagnostic testing to the point-of-care and should be readily applicable at resource-limited settings.

Array-on-a-disk? How Blu-ray technology can be applied to molecular diagnostics

“…Also, the use of partially transparent BDs can be an interesting approach due to the better optical resolution capabilities. Similar attempts have been already described for CDs and DVDs with remarkable results [15]. This would allow scanning nanometric structures down to 420 nm; this in combination with the rapidity to scan a large sensing would make Blu-ray technology suitable for high-density mass screening applications.…”

Time-stretch microscopy on a DVD for high-throughput imaging cell-based assay

“…Indeed, spinning assays with imaging capability to-date remains scarce primarily because the conventional cameras or laser-/sample-scanning techniques run short of speed to provide blur-free high-resolution images under the highspeed spinning motion. Point-scanning cellular imaging on DVD has recently been demonstrated [17]. In contrast, the ultrafast line-scanning together with the all-optical encoding concept of our technique achieves almost 100-times higher in throughput.…”

Frugal Innovation in Bioengineering for the Detection of Infectious Diseases

“…The authors detail bio-applicability of the platform particularly in the context of cellular-level and molecular-level diagnostics, corresponding to the various types of assays outlined by Richards-Kortum et al in the previous chapter. At the cellular level, Lab-on-a-DVD can be used to capture and enumerate CD4+ cells from whole blood [16]. And, at the molecular level, applications range from printing DNA microarrays to conducting loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA in a miniaturized microfluidic platform.…”