Integrated Robotic System for the Development Lateral Flow Assays

Abstract

Lateral flow assays (LFAs) are the most widely used diagnostic tools in resource-limited settings. To make the development and optimization of LFAs more efficient, we developed an integrated system that comprises design of experiment software and robotic liquid handling hardware. We verified the performance of this system in comparison with a human operator and demonstrated its use in experiments during the development of a malaria antigen assay, varying both discrete and continuous variables. These results highlight the utility of this system for the efficient and rapid development of LFAs and other assays.