biostudies-literatureJohannsen BGerman Research Foundation (DFG) and the University of FreiburgEuropean CommissionE833https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6952956biostudies-literatureUnknown10(12)Saliva offers many advantages for point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic applications due to non-invasive, easy, and cost-effective methods of collection. However, the complex matrix with its non-Newtonian behavior and high viscosity poses handling challenges. Several tedious and long pre-analytic steps, incompatible with PoC use, are required to liquefy and homogenize saliva samples before protein analysis can be performed. We apply magnet-beating to reduce hands-on time and to simplify sample preparation. A magnet in a chamber containing the whole saliva is actuated inside a centrifugal microfluidic cartridge by the interplay of centrifugal and magnetic forces. Rigorous mixing, which homogenizes the saliva sample, is then initiated. Consequently, fewer manual steps are required to introduce the MicromachinesAutomated Pre-Analytic Processing of Whole Saliva Using Magnet-Beating for Point-of-Care Protein Biomarker Analysis.PMC6952956GA-633780Funding programme Open Access PublishingMuller LKarpisek MFruh SMBostanci NJohannsen BKarkossa LZengerle RPaust NMitsakakis KBaumgartner DfalseAutomated Pre-Analytic Processing of Whole Saliva Using Magnet-Beating for Point-of-Care Protein Biomarker Analysis.Saliva offers many advantages for point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic applications due to non-invasive, easy, and cost-effective methods of collection. However, the complex matrix with its non-Newtonian behavior and high viscosity poses handling challenges. Several tedious and long pre-analytic steps, incompatible with PoC use, are required to liquefy and homogenize saliva samples before protein analysis can be performed. We apply magnet-beating to reduce hands-on time and to simplify sample preparation. A magnet in a chamber containing the whole saliva is actuated inside a centrifugal microfluidic cartridge by the interplay of centrifugal and magnetic forces. Rigorous mixing, which homogenizes the saliva sample, is then initiated. Consequently, fewer manual steps are required to introduce the 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 Nov2026-07-15T22:50:39.471Z2020-05-22T08:15:27ZS-EPMC69529563180119310.3390/mi10120833