Lab-on-a-Chip & CRISPR-Cas: A Synergistic Approach to Advancing Molecular Diagnostics

Originally developed for gene editing, CRISPR-Cas systems have now become powerful molecular diagnostic tools. However, their widespread adoption in diagnostics has relied heavily on traditional biochemical methods, such as real-time PCR and plate readers, which, while effective, face challenges in sensitivity, speed, and ease of use. To push the boundaries of molecular diagnostics, particularly in cancer detection, more advanced tools are necessary.

This lecture will explore the synergy between CRISPR-Cas diagnostics and Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology, showcasing how their combination can significantly improve detection limits, usability, and accessibility for clinical settings. LOC technology, with its potential for miniaturization, automation, and integration, allows CRISPR-based diagnostics to be conducted more efficiently and with greater sensitivity, using minimal sample volumes. These enhancements pave the way for point-of-care applications and more accessible diagnostics, particularly in cancer care.

Highlighting the work done in our lab, we will demonstrate how we’ve utilized microfluidic platforms to develop CRISPR diagnostics specifically for early cancer detection. By leveraging the strengths of both CRISPR and LOC technologies, we aim to create highly sensitive, rapid, and portable diagnostic tools that can revolutionize cancer biomarker detection in liquid biopsies, offering better patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the limitations of traditional diagnostic platforms (e.g., cuvettes, 96-well, and 384-well plates) under the condition of increasing demands for multiplex detection and lower detection limits, and determine why transitioning to Lab-on-a-Chip technology is necessary for modern diagnostics.
• Explain how Lab-on-a-Chip technology enhances CRISPR-Cas-based diagnostics when addressing the need for lower sample volumes, automation, and integration in point-of-care applications, and perform a comparative analysis between traditional and LOC-based diagnostics.
• Evaluate a real-world case of Lab-on-a-Chip used in cancer diagnostics, under the condition of balancing detection sensitivity with quantification, and assess the impact of droplet microfluidics on detection limits without losing quantification accuracy.