Fabrication of a Lateral Flow Assay for Rapid In-Field Detection of COVID-19 Antibodies Using Additive Manufacturing Printing Technologies

Int J Bioprint. 2021 Aug 23;7(4):399. doi: 10.18063/ijb.v7i4.399. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The development of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) using three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting technologies can enhance and accelerate the optimization process of the fabrication. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to investigate methods to speed up the developing process of a LFIA as a tool for community screening. To achieve this goal, an in-house developed robotic arm and microfluidic pumps were used to print the proteins during the development of the test. 3D printing technologies were used to design and print the housing unit for the testing strip. The proposed design was made by taking into consideration the environmental impact of this disposable medical device.

Keywords: 3D Printing; Additive manufacturing technologies; COVID-19; Diagnostic tools; Lateral flow immunoassay; Microfluidic pumps.