Microfluidic EV Quantification for Point-of-Care CRC diagnostics

The QuantEV project aims to revolutionize the landscape of colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnostics through the development of a groundbreaking Point-of-Care (PoC) platform.

Leveraging the emerging potential of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as robust biomarkers for CRC, this interdisciplinary endeavor combines cutting-edge microfluidic technology with advanced analytical methods to enable the sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective detection of CRC-specific EVs.By designing, fabricating, and characterizing a microfluidic EV enrichment module, the project pioneers an innovative approach for the selective capture of CRC-associated EVs from patient-derived samples.

Simultaneously, a state-of-the-art fluorescence-based EV detection and quantification module is developed to provide accurate and real-time analysis of the captured EVs.

These two modules are seamlessly integrated to create a Lab-on-a-Chip diagnostic platform capable of detecting CRC at early stages with exceptional sensitivity and specificity.Furthermore, QuantEV places a strong emphasis on translational research, collaborating closely with clinical partners to validate the platform's performance using patient samples.

The project also incorporates extensive open science practices to foster collaboration, transparency, dissemination of research outcomes.Upon successful completion, the QuantEV platform holds the potential to revolutionize CRC diagnostics, offering a cost-effective, non-invasive, and efficient alternative to current screening methods.

Beyond CRC, the technology developed in this project can pave the way for the application of EV-based diagnostics in various other diseases, driving advancements in personalized medicine and improving healthcare outcomes.