Read-out concepts for multiplexed bead-based fluorescence immunoassays on centrifugal microfluidic platforms

We present novel concepts to process and read out multiplexed, bead-based fluorescence immunoassays. At the start of the read-out process, a statistically arranged monolayer of color-encoded beads is aggregated in a detection chamber. Each bead is first identified by incorporated color tags which are either dyes or luminescing quantum dots (QDs). Subsequently, the reaction-specific fluorescence signal is quantified. The read-out process is accelerated by an in-house-developed image-processing algorithm. The optical read-out device consists of standard components, e.g. a color CCD-camera as detection unit, an LED as light source, optical filters, and a drive to spin the polymer disk. The liquid handling along the complete assay protocol is realized on a centrifugal lab-on-a-disk platform. We successfully demonstrate the performance of this device by the implementation of a hepatitis A and a tetanus assay. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.