# Microfluidics-enabled directed affinity reagent engineering for fast, sensitive diagnostics

> **NIH NIH R21** · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2022 · $216,592

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Near-patient detection and quantification of specific proteins in bodily fluids can enable medical
professionals to offer timely and effective care that improves outcomes. In protein biomarker
detection, a tradeoff exists between assay sensitivity and time to result. Affinity reagents are key
components of microfluidic devices that enable protein analysis at the point of care. At present,
affinity reagents are selected on the basis of equilibrium binding constants, which are most
predictive of assay performance on hours-long timescales. The proposed project will develop
transformative kinetic screening methods and devices that allow engineering of affinity reagents
that can offer sensitive detection on the timescales of seconds to minutes, and use the reagents
to enable frequent, convenient monitoring of cytokine panels to improve care for rheumatoid
arthritis patients. This project leverages the collective cross-disciplinary expertise of faculty at MIT
from the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science. The team's synergistic expertise in protein engineering for diagnostics (Sikes) and
design, fabrication and application of microfluidics and BioMEMS for point-of-care diagnostic tests
(Voldman) will be collectively focused on developing new kinetic screening devices for
engineering superior affinity reagents, and translating the new capability into an impactful on-site
assay for inflammatory cytokines. Specific Aim 1 is to create novel microfluidic devices that can
be used to select for fast-binding affinity reagents. Specific Aim 2 is to establish and validate
new library screening processes uniquely enabled by the devices. Specific Aim 3 uses fast-
binding affinity reagents to create a near-patient cytokine assay that maintains the required
sensitivity without requiring a laboratory, which can enable more frequent testing and more
individualized care for rheumatoid arthritis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10527811
- **Project number:** 1R21EB032607-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Hadley D Sikes
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $216,592
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-15 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10527811

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10527811, Microfluidics-enabled directed affinity reagent engineering for fast, sensitive diagnostics (1R21EB032607-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10527811. Licensed CC0.

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