Magnetically induced chemical analysis (MICA)

This project aims at the development of new methods that allow for the use of advanced analytical biochemistry directly in physicians offices (clinical 'point of care' systems).
One of the new approaches is a method that performs a chemical analysis by moving reagent coated microparticles between different reagents and samples by secondary forces (no convection in the liquid - just particle movement!). By using secondary forces such as magnetism, centrifugation or dielectrophoresis one circumvents the application of pumps and valves for the reagent handling; a fact that makes the method cheaper, more robust and suitable for the doctors office.
Magnetically Induced Chemical Analysis (MICA) uses a magnetic field as the secondary force that can manipulates reagent coated paramagnetic particles. In the right magnetic field a particle with a diameter of 3 micron can obtain velocities higher that 1 mm/s, which illustrates the potential for fast reagent handling and chemical analysis. From the chemical point of view methods like MICA has been devised for the automation of immunoassays and DNA-hybridisations.