Albert cancer group unveils lab-on-a-chip device

The Alberta Cancer Diagnostic Consortium (ACDC) has developed a prototype lab-on-a-chip handheld device that will initially be used to screen for acute lymphocytic leukemia, a rare form of childhood cancer. The device was developed by the Univ of Alberta’s computer and electrical engineering department using low-cost microfluidic chips and off-the-shelf electronic components. It was unveiled at the official opening of the ACDC’s new laboratory at the university’s Research Transition Facility. ACDC is a collaborative venture between U of A, the Univ of Calgary and the Alberta Cancer Board and is led by Dr Linda Pilarski, a cancer researcher at the U of A. Western Economic Diversification is providing $2.5 million towards the ACDC’s first three years of operation. Its objective is to commercialize devices that provide a higher standard of care using high-speed diagnostic testing and monitoring....