C-CAMP develops new affordable platform to study single cells

Bengaluru: In a groundbreaking development, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) in Bengaluru has introduced OptiDrop, an innovative microfluidic chip-based platform that simplifies and reduces the cost of studying single cells.

This cutting-edge technology has potential applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, agriculture, and animal health, C-CAMP said, adding that the research was supported by the Biotechnology Industry Research Council (BIRAC), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

The findings were recently published in Nature Microsystems and Nanoengineering, C-CAMP said, adding that unlike traditional methods that rely on expensive, bulky optical components, OptiDrop employs a novel approach that enables precise and cost-effective analysis of single cells encapsulated in droplets.

“Traditional flow cytometers, used for fluorophore-based biomarker detection, are limited by high costs, bulkiness, and larger sample volume requirements, often restricting their usage to few hospitals, research or diagnostic labs. Optidrop will have game-changing downstream applications,” said C-CAMP CEO and director Taslimarif Saiyed. He’s also one of the lead authors of the paper.

The platform’s unique features include live data visualisation, a smaller data footprint, and a ‘closed’ system design that prevents external contamination, making it a viable benchtop technology for broad clinical applications.

The team, consisting of C-CAMP and IIT-Madras researchers developed the platform using a proprietary microfluidic chip with integrated optical fibres, photomultiplier tubes, and a pulse counter.

As each droplet flows through the microfluidic channel, illuminated by an incident beam, light is scattered from its surface and contents. The platform detects fluorescent signals associated with individual droplets, and the output is captured, processed, and read live through an in-house developed software.

To validate OptiDrop’s capabilities, the team conducted an antibody-based protein biomarker detection study, and the results were on par with those obtained from standard flow cytometers, underscoring OptiDrop's reliability for scientific research.

One of the most significant advantages of OptiDrop is its cost-effectiveness. While traditional flow cytometers can cost anywhere between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 1 crore, the OptiDrop setup costs only about Rs 10 lakh.

Furthermore, depending on the application’s requirements, the cost of light sources, detectors, and pumps can be reduced by replacing these components with lower-cost alternatives for larger-scale production without compromising the device's sensitivity.