MICRONEEDLE BANDAGE DETECTS MALARIA IN

MINUTES
PUBLISHED ON:NOVEMBER 4TH, 2020 

PUBLISHED BY:CONN HASTINGS 

PUBLISHED IN: MEDGADGET DIAGNOSTICS, MEDICINE, PUBLIC HEALTH

Researchers at Rice University have developed a microneedle patch that can rapidly detect
the presence of malaria in interstitial fluid. Users can apply the patch to their skin, as you
would a bandage, and then obtain a result in as little as 20 minutes. The technology is low-
cost and requires no expertise to utilize.

Malaria is a significant killer in many parts of the world where access to medical services is
limited or non-existent. Obtaining a laboratory-based malaria diagnosis is challenging or
impossible for many people living in such regions. Low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic
alternatives are clearly needed, and this latest technology may fulfill these criteria.

Containing a 4 x 4 array of hollow microneedles, the patch gently penetrates the skin when
applied and draws interstitial fluid inside itself, where an antibody-based lateral-flow test
strip detects protein biomarkers of malaria. The device provides an easy to read visual result
in the form of colored strips, similar to a pregnancy test, in about 20 minutes.

At only 375 microns wide, the microneedles are truly tiny, and do not cause significant pain
on insertion. They are hydrophilic, and so easily draw interstitial fluid into the device. “Xue
and I have applied the patch to our skin, and it doesn’t feel painful at all compared to a finger
prick or a blood draw,” said Peter Lillehoj, a researcher involved in the study, in a Rice
University press release. “It’s less painful than getting a splinter. I would say it feels like
putting tape on your skin and then peeling it off.”

Interestingly, the bandage may also be useful in detecting other diseases, including COVID-
19. “In this paper, we focus on malaria detection because this project was funded by the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, and it’s a big priority for them,” said Lillehoj. “But we can
adapt this technology to detect other diseases for which biomarkers appear in interstitial
fluid.”

The researchers estimate that the device may cost as little as $1 if manufactured in bulk,
suggesting that it may be useful in low resource regions. Its appearance as a bandage helps to
make it more relatable and less daunting for non-clinical users and not scary for the patients
getting screened.

“We didn’t intend for it to look like a bandage,” said Lillehoj. “We started with a rectangular
shape and then just rounded the edges to make it a little more presentable. We didn’t plan for
that, but perhaps it makes the patch more relatable to the general public.”