Centre for Integrated Photonics

The Centre for Integrated Photonics of Ipswich, UK, has won a £215,000 contract to develop a portable device that will enable DNA fingerprinting at crime scenes, before contamination of evidence occurs. The miniature optical detection and analysis system will eliminate delays involved with submitting a sample to a lab. It also may become the foundation for a point-of-care medical device. The DNA analzyer will likely integrate microfluidic technology with a microwave heating element and a detection system consisting of LED and photodiode components, lenses and thin-film filters.