Associate Professor Szu-Hua Pan from National Taiwan University, Professor Chung-Lieh Hung from Mackay Memorial Hospital, and the team from Phoenix Silicon have jointly developed a "multi-functional liquid protein real-time quantitative detection chip." This innovation focuses on the rapid diagnosis and clinical application of heart failure and related comorbidities. Using only a small amount of blood, the chip enables precise measurement of multiple biomarkers in a short time, significantly reducing diagnostic costs and testing time.

Heart Failure: A Global Health Concern with Complex Treatment Challenges

According to the World Health Organization, heart failure ranks among the top ten causes of death worldwide, with high rates of hospital readmissions and a five-year survival rate below 50%. Patients often suffer from comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, complicating the treatment process. Currently, clinical diagnosis of heart failure largely relies on single biomarker tests, such as NT-proBNP, which are time-consuming, expensive, and insufficient for comprehensive comorbidity assessments. Traditional diagnostic methods, like ELISA analysis, take more than half a day to deliver results, limiting their utility for timely treatment decisions and efficient disease management.

Innovative Technology Redefining Heart Failure Diagnosis

The development of this multi-functional liquid protein detection chip aims to overcome the limitations of existing technologies by detecting four biomarkers: NT-proBNP, Troponin I, FABP4, and GDF15. The chip integrates four detection electrodes fabricated through semiconductor photolithography and etching processes, creating patterned microstructures on silicon wafers. This significantly increases the electrode surface reaction area, allowing for a more three-dimensional antibody distribution and enhancing detection sensitivity.

Additionally, a two-stage carbon chain modification technique strengthens the stable bonding between the antibodies and the chip while reducing interference signals. The chip employs electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to quantify protein levels through electrical signal changes generated by immune reactions. It offers a detection range of 0.5 to 50,000 pg/ml, with a minimum detection limit of just 0.5 pg/ml. Its paper-based microfluidic device design optimizes sample flow, reducing sample volume, testing time, and costs.

Clinical trials involving 55 serum samples from heart failure patients demonstrated 100% specificity, 92% sensitivity, and an accuracy rate of 95% compared to traditional biochemical tests.

Future Applications and Development Potential

The team has completed the prototype design and preclinical testing of the chip, with plans to mass-produce it and apply for international certifications within three years. The technology will initially target markets in Taiwan, the United States, and Southeast Asia, providing high-risk heart failure groups with precise and real-time diagnostic tools to alleviate the burden on healthcare resources.

Thanks to its low cost and user-friendly design, the chip is also expected to be adopted by primary care clinics and home testing scenarios, offering patients a more efficient and convenient health management solution.

Resource: 多合一液態蛋白檢測晶片 四種生物標記速驗心臟衰竭