Development and validation of a portable device for lab-free versatile nucleic acid extraction

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has revolutionized diagnostics by providing precise, rapid, and scalable detection methods for diverse biological samples. These recent advancements satisfy the increasing demand for on-site diagnostics, yet sample preparation remains a significant bottleneck for achieving highly sensitive diagnostic assays. There is an unmet need for compatible, efficient, and lab-free sample preparation for point-of-care NAT. To address this, we developed a portable, lab-free, and battery-powered device for extracting nucleic acids. We explored using low centrifugal forces with existing commercial chemistry, demonstrating excellent performance. We designed and tested a battery-powered device to enable lab-free extractions, and verified reagents stored out to 6 months, suggesting exceptional deployment capabilities. We evaluated our device, comparing our results against those from a benchtop centrifuge across three types of samples: HIV RNA in buffer, HIV RNA in plasma, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva. The portable device demonstrated excellent agreement with the benchtop centrifuge, indicating high reliability. By providing an effective on-site sample preparation solution, the widespread adoption of low centrifugal extractions will improve the sensitivity and reliability of NAT and will positively impact other point-of-care technologies such as next generation sequencing (NGS), biomarker detection, and environmental monitoring. This method utilizes a low-power, portable centrifuge to significantly improve the deployment of nucleic acid extractions. As a result, this method offers comparable extraction performance to benchtop devices while offering superior portability and ease of use. Minimizing centrifugal force allows for reliable nucleic acid extraction from a low-power device. Our approach is simple and uses low-cost electronics, presenting high potential for clinical preparation of RNA in field settings. Sample preparation continues to be a major bottleneck for sensitive diagnostic assays. We developed a portable, lab-free, and battery-powered device for extracting nucleic acids. We demonstrated that a commercial extraction kit could be processed at low centrifugal forces, enabling point-of-care development. We designed a battery-powered, semi-automated centrifuge that rivaled a benchtop centrifuge in performance and efficiency. Reagents remained stable for 6 months and extractions were robust without carrier RNA. Our device offers an effective on-site sample preparation solution that enhances NAT sensitivity and reliability while maintaining compatibility with commercial chemistry. Consequently, our portable centrifuge is well-positioned to impact other point-of-care applications like NGS, biomarker detection, and environmental monitoring. Sample preparation continues to be a major bottleneck for sensitive diagnostic assays. We developed a portable, lab-free, and battery-powered device for extracting nucleic acids. We demonstrated that a commercial extraction kit could be processed at low centrifugal forces, enabling point-of-care development. We designed a battery-powered, semi-automated centrifuge that rivaled a benchtop centrifuge in performance and efficiency. Reagents remained stable for 6 months and extractions were robust without carrier RNA. Our device offers an effective on-site sample preparation solution that enhances NAT sensitivity and reliability while maintaining compatibility with commercial chemistry. Consequently, our portable centrifuge is well-positioned to impact other point-of-care applications like NGS, biomarker detection, and environmental monitoring.