CELL COUNTING DEVICE

Abstract: the described invention is a cell counting device for counting target cells within a fluid, the device comprising: a microfluidic channel configured to receive a flow of a cell-containing fluid through an inlet and conduct the flow of the cell-containing fluid along the channel, the microfluidic channel sized such that target cells within the cell-containing fluid flow consecutively through the microfluidic channel; a first photodetector arranged to receive light that has passed through the microfluidic channel at a first measurement point, such that signal from the photodetector varies due to the received light being restricted by the passage of cells across the first measurement point in the microfluidic channel; a processing unit configured to receive a signal from the photodetector and distinguish the size of a cell passing the first measurement point based on an interruption time during which the signal intensity received from the photodetector is reduced, thereby determining the presence of a target cell type. using an optical interruption signal in this way, provides a low cost device that does not require fluorescent dyes to label the cells nor does it require lasers, microscopes or other specialist equipment such that the device is suitable for point-of-care and at-home use and does not require the direction of a trained specialist operator.

Inventor(s): Manfredi Giovanni SAN MARTINO D'AGLIE DI SAN GERMANO

CPC Classification: G01N15/1434 (Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry)

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