Microfluidics for rapid, portable detection of viruses

The announcement this week that a research team from Brown University has developed a potentially portable influenza detection array could mean a more effective way to detect and track dangerous viruses like H1N1 (swine flu) on the horizon. At the same time, it also could lead to a simpler, easier way for physicians to identify and treat seasonal influenza in their offices. The research community has been pursuing both goals, and the biochip-based microfluidic array unveiled online in...