Development of a microfluidic system for blood sample handling towards the biosensor and subsequent washing in between measurements, for chemotherapy patients.
Context and challenges
In hospitals during cancer chemotherapies, patients are subjects to administration of very high doses of the therapeutic substance during several days. Ideally, drug doses should be continuously adjusted resulting in medicament blood concentrations being kept within a therapeutic range. This requires regular blood tests (typically every 15 to 30 minutes).
Objectives
- Development of a microfluidic system for blood sample handling towards the biosensor and subsequent washing in between measurements
- Adaptation of biosensors for continuous blood measurements
- Integration of the biosensors within hydrogels for filtration of unwanted blood cells during continuous measurements
- Integrated optical detection
- Automated system for sample measurements every 30 minutes within 24h treatment duration
Partners and funding
Institute of Life Technologies, HES-SO Valais
Institute of Systems Engineering, HES-SO Valais
Institute of Chemical Technology, HES-SO Fribourg
Funded by the HES-SO University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
Results
We have created an autonomous system allowing to perform measurements using supramolecular bio-sensors whose fluorescence is modulated by the presence of the active chemotherapeutic substance, methotrexate.