Lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technology is an innovative, miniaturized solution that enables the fast and accurate analysis of very small volumes of liquid samples, such as blood or water droplets. The uniqueness of the project lies in the integration of high-sensitivity microwave sensors with 3D-printed microfluidic channels. These sensors employ specially designed geometric patterns (so-called metastructures) which amplify microwave signals and focus them directly on the sample under investigation. As a result, the new system may offer significantly higher sensitivity than conventional lab-on-chip solutions, enabling the detection of substances even at extremely low concentrations.

The long-term objective of the development is to make the device suitable for the detection of biomolecules (such as glucose or proteins) as well as environmental pollutants (including heavy metals). This is of particular importance in medical diagnostics, where rapid decisions often have to be made based on very limited sample volumes, and in environmental protection, where the early detection of contamination is crucial.

We congratulate our researcher on the successful grant award and wish him every success in the implementation of the project.