Ann: Access to institutional deep tech infrastructure expanded, page-21

Archer’s biochip development involves miniaturising medical lab tests onto an integrated circuit, a single chip, that is only a few millimetres in size. The chip includes a number of functional areas and componentry, including microfluidic channels and active biosensing areas – all smaller than the thickness of a human hair.

Miniaturising and integrating a lab-on-chip device also provides improved accuracy and a
substantial decrease in the time required to obtain a diagnostic test result, which are key
commercial barriers to point of care medical diagnostic disease testing. Specifically:

+ Archer’s biochip componentry and design solves for sample evaporation challenges and
substantially overcome limitations in fabricating the active sensing areas to meet
miniaturisation requirements for viable disease detection.

+ The biochip microfluidics allow sample sorting, preparation, and handling – all on-chip.
Sample volumes as small as 3 microlitres (“µL”) can be used – comparable to the volume
of a tear drop (6-7 µL) or blood droplet (50 µL) – which is more than 1000 times less than
the volume taken for a regular blood test (3-10 mL).