HKBU develops Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser to promote extensive application of precision medicine

HONG KONG, Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Testing technologies play a pivotal role in disease diagnosis. Currently, flow cytometers are widely used in the field of biomedicine and are considered the gold standard for diagnosing blood diseases such as leukaemia. However, high-end flow cytometers are extremely expensive, with prices reaching several million Hong Kong dollars. A research team from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has successfully developed the "Sequential Measurement Based Multi-Parameter Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser" (referred to as the "Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser"), which leverages innovative technology to significantly improve testing efficiency. It also reduces costs to only one-tenth to one-fifth of similar products in the market so as to benefit more patients.

The project was recently awarded funding under the "Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme" (RAISe+ Scheme) launched by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to support the commercialisation of its research outcomes.

Flow cytometers, based primarily on laser technology, are molecular testing equipment used to detect cellular characteristics. As cell samples pass through the equipment's channels, they sequentially move through a laser-illuminated area. Fluorescent markers attached to the samples will then emit fluorescence signals, which are detected and recorded by signal receivers. This allows the analysis of both the surface and interior of the cells, including various parameters related to cell morphology, DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Conventional flow cytometers have only one single channel. Detecting six or more parameters simultaneously requires multiple sets of lasers to capture all the fluorescent colour signals from the cells for analysis. The Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser developed by the HKBU team uses microfluidic chip technology to greatly enhance detection capabilities without the need to add extra laser sets.

Flow cytometers can detect physical properties of cells, protein expression (including immunophenotyping), total nucleic acid content, functional status and nanoparticles. Among these, immunological assays (antibody-labelled proteins) and nucleic acid quantification (DNA/RNA dyes) are the two most widely used molecular testing methods in clinical and research applications. The Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser developed by HKBU integrates the functions of detecting particles and molecules such as cells, proteins and nucleic acids. To ensure testing efficiency, it utilises artificial intelligence to establish data analysis models, enabling the instant processing of tens of thousands of cell data.

Professor Lei Bo, Visiting Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU and Professor of the Department of Life Sciences of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) who leads the research team said: "The Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser developed by our team brings together transdisciplinary experts in optical path design, microfluidic chips, software algorithms, and bioinformatics. We utilise research resources from HKBU's Faculty of Science in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and computing, and garnered support by the algorithm developed by the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research and Application for Data Science at BNBU. By deeply integrating microfluidic chip technology with flow cytometry, we have increased the number of detectable parameters in flow cytometers. Our innovative single-laser, multi-parameter testing technology allows the equipment to detect dozens, or even more than 100, parameters using just one laser set."

Professor Lei said that the seamless collaboration of various departments at HKBU, along with the research team's solid experience of over a decade in developing testing reagents and equipment, complemented by technical support from transdisciplinary experts, insights into industry needs, and effective investor matching provided by the Institute for Innovation, Translation and Policy Research at HKBU, coupled with funding from the RAISe+ Scheme, positions the Microfluidic Flow Cytomolecular Analyser for success in its gradual market application and commercialisation. This leverages its three core advantages of portability, user-friendly operation and cost-effectiveness, thereby accelerating the extensive adoption of precision medical resources and opening up broader prospects for application.

Currently, several research teams at HKBU are engaging in the development and application of diagnostic and bio-testing technologies with remarkable results. Among these is the "Automated Multiplex Diagnostics System" developed by Professor Terence Lau, Interim Chief Innovation Officer at HKBU, which can accurately, rapidly and cost-effectively detect up to 45 respiratory pathogens simultaneously; Professor Ren Kangning, Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU, has developed a "barcode-like cell-based sensor" that enables rapid and low-cost screening for drug-resistant bacteria; and Professor Zhu Furuong, Professor of the Department of Physics at HKBU, has created a multi-mode photodetector that detects both near-infrared and visible light spectra, making it applicable not only to fruit quality and traceability but also to the inspection of the qualities of Chinese herbal medicine. These research achievements will be developed further and applied in fields such as disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety.

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