Smartphone-based microplate reader for high-throughput quantitation of disease markers in serum

• Published in: Analyst (London) 2023-02, Vol.148 (4), p.735-741
• Main Authors: Deng, Rong, Chao, Xiaoxin, Li, Haiqin, Li, Xiaochun, Yang, Zehua, Yu, Hua-Zhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applications programs; Biomarkers; Colorimetry; Colorimetry - methods; Customization; Integrated optics; Laboratory equipment; Light sources; Mobile Applications; Mobile computing; Point-of-Care Systems; Reproducibility of Results; Smartphone; Smartphones
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/d2an01571d

Herein, a smartphone-based portable reader with integrated optics for standard microtiter plates (96 wells) has been designed and demonstrated for high-throughput quantitation of validated biomarkers in serum. The customized optical attachment was simply constructed with a convex lens and a light source, by which the transmitted light through a 96-well microtiter plate was converged for imaging with a smartphone, so that accurate and wide-range reading of the plate can be achieved. More importantly, relying on the digitized colorimetric analysis of the obtained images, concentrations of various biomarkers can be determined directly using the customized mobile app. A set of validated biomarkers for inflammation and infection, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and procalcitonin (PCT) have been quantitated with this new system; both the response ranges and limits of detection meet the requirement of clinical tests. The consistency with the results obtained using a commercial microplate reader proves its reliability and precision, augments its potential as a point-of-care diagnostic device for on-site testing or resource-limited settings. A smartphone-based portable reader with integrated optics and a customized app for standard microtiter plates (96 wells) has been designed, developed, and demonstrated for high-throughput quantitation of validated biomarkers in serum.