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Colouring in Crisis
16 August 2015

Colouring in Crisis

Biomedical scientists heading to crisis zones around the world may soon be packing a tin of pencils along with their lab coats and gloves. But these are no ordinary colouring pencils – their nibs are packed with chemicals that make common laboratory tests a doddle, or perhaps a doodle. Colouring in a paper-based microfluidic device is the first step to bringing the test to life. A patient’s fluid sample is placed at the centre of the paper device and quickly floods along each of the 'spokes'. Mixing and reacting with the chemical pencil marks, the liquid changes colour giving instant medical results. Many diagnostic tests can be conducted at once, simply by decorating different spokes with different pencils. This revolutionary kit is much more portable than bulky lab equipment, and simpler to use, too – potentially making quick life-saving tests no more of a challenge than colouring within the lines.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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