Simple PDMS microdevice for biomedical applications

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a well-known biocompatible polymer employed for many applications in the biomedical field. In this study, the biocompatibility and versatility of PDMS was tested setting up a microdevice devoted to the purification and analysis of nucleic acids. The PDMS microdevice was demonstrated to successfully fulfill all requirements of genetic analyses such as genotyping and pathogen DNA identification both in multiplex and real-time PCR, suggesting the possibility to carry out a molecular test directly on-chip. Moreover, the PDMS microdevice was successfully applied to the purification and detection of disease biomarkers, such as microRNAs related to cancer or heart disease. On-chip microRNA purification was demonstrated starting from clinically relevant samples, i.e. plasma, serum, tissue biopsies. Significantly, the purification and the transcription of microRNA into cDNA occur in the same PDMS chamber, saving time and labor for the overall analysis. Again, the PDMS microdevice was confirmed as a notable candidate for compact, rapid, easy-to-use molecular tests.