A Fiber integrated optofluidic platform for sensitive microRNA FRET detection

We demonstrated a fiber integrated optofluidic platform to perform miRNA detection with high sensitivity and specificity based on FRET principle. Recently miRNA has attracted extensive interest as a biomarker, providing important evidence for early disease diagnosis and post treatment. Traditionally, numerous analytical approaches such as northern blotting, micro arrays , and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction have been developed for miRNA detection. However, the existing methods have many technical challenges, for example, the concentration of miRNA in vivo is normally at low level, and the short sequence and easy degradation by RNAase makes it difficult for PCR. Therefore, we developed an innovative optofluidic platform that combines the advantage of droplet microfluidics and optofluidic technology, and provides a low-cost, compact and high specificity approach for identification and quantification of miRNA using FRET principle. Single-nucleotide differences within miRNA family can be distinguished by a novel Y-junction design of donor, receptor and miRNA sequence. We performed one step miRNA detection with simple device operation, and our platform achieved target miRNA identification at a low concentration and high specificity.