PHIONA
Photonic microring sensor for ion and biomarker detection at the point of care
Funding: Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)
Duration: January 2026 - December 2027
Consortium
- ESCHWEILER GmbH & CO.KG (module, software, demonstrator)
- PolyAn GmbH (biointerface)
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (microfluidics)
- HMU Health and Medical University (diagnostic metrics)
- Fraunhofer HHI (photonic sensor chips, assembly)
Project overview
PHIONA is creating a compact point-of-care (PoC) analysis system capable of measuring electrolytes and metabolic markers using extremely small blood samples. Electrolyte imbalances can severely affect heart and kidney function, while lactate and glucose provide key information on metabolic disturbances, making rapid testing highly relevant in clinical decision-making. This technology addresses also a significant need in pediatric care, where traditional analyzers often require more blood than is safe to collect from young patients. The system utilizes photonic microring resonators (MRRs) integrated with microfluidics and a portable readout setup, allowing for rapid, multi-parameter testing. Wafer-based manufacturing and scalable functionalization are pursued to support robust, cost-efficient devices.
Objectives
- (Simultaneous) analysis of seven parameters: Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, Mg²⁺, lactate, glucose
- Very low sample volume, suited to minimal blood draws
- Real-time / short time-to-result capability
- Miniaturized, robust, user-friendly system integration
Technical approach
Laser light passes through microring resonators (MRRs), where analyte binding at their surfaces causes detectable resonance shifts. Multiple resonators enable multi-parameter detection, while microfluidics rapidly deliver samples. A compact module with control software converts optical signals to concentration data.
