Scientists at the University of Minnesota have successfully developed and tested a prototype of Z-Lab, a portable diagnostic platform designed to perform on site testing of biological samples for various ailments. This is the first version of the prototype developed for point-of-care diagnostics. The details of the device and results of the test are reported in the paper “Portable GMR Handheld Platform for the Detection of Influenza A Virus” published recently in ACS Sensors.

The prototype was used to test for the presence of the influenza A virus (IAV) in a treated sample. The testing process, which parallels the commonly used ELISA test process, involves antibodies acting as sensors capturing a biomarker, to which a detectable object is added that will bind to the sensor-biomarker complex. In the case of Z-Lab, a GMR (Giant Magnetoresistance) chip is used as the surface, and a magnetic label (MNP) is the detectable object. If the disease indicator is present in the sample, magnetic tags will bind to the GMR sensor resulting in a change in the electrical signal. The signal is monitored by the Z-Lab handheld device which is capable of data processing, display, wireless communication, and GPS location services depending on the needs of the specific application.

This breakthrough news is also covered by ECE department website.