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Lab-in-a-Tip: a multiplex immunoassay platform based on a self-assembled barcoded protein array

Author

Listed:
  • Yiran He

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Min Jiang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhenlong Liang

    (Chinese PLA General Hospital)

  • Zhaoxu Luo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jingyi Qin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    China Pharmaceutical University)

  • Ye Shen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yayun Gu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiaodong Ma

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hong Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xin Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ying Shi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yanhua Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Kefeng Pu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jiong Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

High throughput immunoassay is increasingly crucial for both scientific and clinical applications. Here we propose a “Lab-in-a-Tip” (LIT) concept to fabricate a pipette tip containing a high-density protein array and other essential reagents. The protein array is made by self-assembling digitally encoded microparticles inside the modified tip. Mounted on a robotic workstation, it automates liquid-handling steps. Notably, compared with Luminex, the current gold standard in multiplex immunoassays, such a design enables LIT to demonstrate multiple advantages in terms of analytical sensitivity, speed, and throughput. It detects analyte concentrations as low as fg/ml, representing a sensitivity improvement of two orders of magnitude over Luminex. Incubation time is reduced to 15 minutes from Luminex’s 210 minutes. Furthermore, LIT requires only 10 µl of sample, one-fifth of what Luminex needs. This makes LIT ideal for rapid diagnostics and studies with limited biological samples, greatly expanding its application scope.

Suggested Citation

  • Yiran He & Min Jiang & Zhenlong Liang & Zhaoxu Luo & Jingyi Qin & Ye Shen & Yayun Gu & Xiaodong Ma & Hong Wang & Xin Li & Ying Shi & Yanhua Chen & Kefeng Pu & Jiong Li, 2025. "Lab-in-a-Tip: a multiplex immunoassay platform based on a self-assembled barcoded protein array," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59390-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59390-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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