What we do

There are immunological tests for many different purposes. All have in common that they make use of substances (e.g. Antibodies) which can bind specifically to the target substance or microorganism to be found in the sample. Rapid tests or so called “Lateral Flow Assays” are easy to use and provide quick results. However, if more sensitivity and/or a more accurate quantification of the result is desired, more complex protocols are needed. Microfluidic Technologies help to manage this increased complexity to achieve the goal of a low-cost and simple-to-use device. thinXXS offers both development and manufacturing of microfluidic cartridges for immunological assays. We help to realize such cartridges from scratch based on our client’s assay protocol.

An assay of this category typically comprises several complex steps (e.g., Isolation and purification of nucleic acids, PCR, detection). It is still often conducted in a laboratory, not in the field. The advantages in handling small sample volumes make lab-on-chip systems ideal for this application. Microfluidics helps making such assays more portable and user-friendly and applicable for the Point of Care. thinXXS’ solution portfolio includes several unit operations which are commonly required on integrated microfluidic cartridges. We offer our clients unique and proven solutions, e.g., for storage of wet and dry reagents, for lab on-a chip valving, and for liquid management.

DNA sequencing is a powerful technology not only for fundamental research, but also for diagnostic applications. The ability to manipulate liquids at extremely small volumes makes microfluidics the ideal technology for this type of application. Droplet microfluidics is an especially popular approach which has already found its way into commercial products.

Cell based assays have become a powerful tool for drug discovery and high throughput screening. Such assays offer the potential of predicting the response of a drug on an organism. Among other things, the potential of precise and accurate fluid control, the unique flow properties and multiplexing capabilities make microfluidic systems extremely useful for such assays. Besides the benefits of microfluidic chips for cell-based assays, miniaturization is useful for manipulating cells in general, e.g., for capturing circulating tumor cells (CTC) or other rare cells.