Lab-on-Chip : Microsized Laboratory

Scientists from China have succeeded in advancing from big laboratories and the long procedural diagnoses to just a minute chip ,one which requires only a single drop of blood in order to test for many major diseases. "The lab-on-a-chip shrinks the pipettes, beakers and test tubes of a modern chemistry lab onto a microchip-sized wafer of glass or plastic."

Although complex and detailed studies will still require the traditional laboratories but many diseases which demand a quick diagnosis may easily be tested for using this lab-on-chip. Pregnancy tests can be done at home and diabetics can quickly and easily measure their blood sugar levels using only a drop of blood.While a soldier is in the battlefield, this technology can reveal any biological warfare agents present in his bloodstream by just a single drop of his blood.

To reveal more of the positive side, Alok Jha (contributor,The Guardian) quotes, "The platform blurs nanotechnology, biotechnology and micro-electronics. And it is not specific to medicine – it is being developed for environmental monitoring of pollutants and, increasingly, in basic scientific research to speed up the once-tedious aspects of examining genes or testing the properties of new materials."

The lab-on-a-chip will allow for on-sight and immediate diagnosis of infection, anemia, allergies, or immune system deficiencies on long space missions.

Read full research on The Guardian