Within this module, specific assays amplify about 20 markers that are expressed in breast carcinoma cells. In the final detection module, the amplified genetic material is detected using an array of electrochemical sensors. The different building blocks have been developed and validated on spiked blood samples. The modules are now ready for further hetero-integration into a single lab-on-chip. By miniaturizing and merging the microfluidic and electronic functionalities the reliability and accuracy of the patient's analysis will be improved. The clinical use of the system will be evaluated to compare it to more conventional approaches in a breast cancer therapy follow-up study.

Within the framework of the MASCOT project, IMEC collaborates with the Institut f??r Mikrotechnik Mainz (Germany), AdnaGenAG (Germany), Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Sweden, NorwegianRadium Hospital (Norway), MRC Holland (The Netherlands), and FuijerebioDiagnosticsAB (Spain).  The project's aim is to develop an integrated microsystem for the magnetic isolation and analysis of single circulating tumor cells for oncology diagnostics and therapy follow-up.

www2.imec.be/imec_com/imec_com_homepage.php