The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Ryu Seok-hyun, KIMM) is developing a pretreatment technology to rapidly and homogeneously liquefy solid biological samples, and it is expected to contribute to the practical application of field-oriented technology in the field of in vitro diagnostics.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials announced on the 29th that the research team of Senior Researcher Kim Kwan-oh of the Nano Lithography Research Center of the Nano Convergence Research Division of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials and the research team of Professor Lee Yun-ju of Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital developed an ultra-small, high-speed preprocessing system that can emulsify and homogenize solid biological samples in less than one minute.

It is expected to present a new diagnostic platform in the existing liquid-based in vitro diagnostics (IVD) field and contribute to the commercialization of point-of-care testing (PoC) technology.

This study mechanically implemented the tissue disintegration and liquefaction processes essential for analyzing solid samples in in vitro diagnostic systems.

The pretreatment system developed by the research team applied a twin-screw structure that rotates in opposite directions to apply a high shear force to the solid sample, enabling rapid emulsification and homogenization.

In addition, a passage through which fluid can flow inside the screw was designed to efficiently recover liquefied samples, thereby minimizing sample loss and maximizing pretreatment efficiency.

Existing solid sampleThe preprocessing technology required large and complex equipment, had limitations in that it took a long time to process, and required repetitive manual work by skilled experimental personnel.

Accordingly, the research team designed a system that continuously performs the entire process of crushing, homogenization, and recovery of solid samples within a single device using only purely mechanical methods without any separate chemical treatment.

This enables the acquisition of high-quality liquid samples suitable for analysis within a short period of time, and the development of a compact, wireless device using the same technology has expanded the scope of its application.

This study demonstrated excellent pretreatment efficiency and high sample recovery rates for various samples, including animal tissues, plants, and vegetables.

In particular, we have developed a passive device that can be used even in environments where power supply is difficult, greatly expanding the potential for field-based applications such as emergency diagnosis, agricultural disease diagnosis, and food inspection.

In addition, it is expected to have high usability due to its high compatibility with various diagnostic equipment and analysis systems.

Kim Kwan-oh, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, said, “The twin-screw-based preprocessing technology is a basic platform for the practical application of solid sample analysis, and presents a technological solution that complements the limitations of existing liquid-centered in vitro diagnostic systems.” He added, “It will expand the scope of field application of diagnostic technology in various fields such as agriculture, food, and environment, and contribute to improving diagnostic flexibility and analysis accuracy.”

The twin-screw based solid sample pretreatment technology of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials has applied for 6 domestic patents, of which 2 have been registered. In addition, the research achievements were recognized by being selected as the cover paper in the international academic journal 'Analyst'. This research was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT's Bio-Medical Technology Development Project and Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital.