Stephen P. Harston

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About

Stephen P. Harston is a pioneer in the automation of point-of-care diagnostics, with his research centered on the intersection of robotics, microfluidics, and lateral flow assay (LFA) development. His major contribution lies in transforming the traditionally manual, time-intensive process of LFA optimization into a rapid, reproducible, and scalable workflow. Harston’s most cited work, “Automated liquid handling robot for rapid lateral flow assay development” (2022, 22 citations), introduces a robotic system that dramatically accelerates the design and testing of LFAs—critical tools for detecting everything from pregnancy to infectious diseases. Building on this, his earlier paper “Integrated Robotic System for the Development of Lateral Flow Assays” (2019, 8 citations) established the foundational framework by combining design-of-experiment software with robotic liquid handling hardware. Together, these innovations address a key bottleneck in diagnostics: the need for efficient, low-cost development in resource-limited settings. Harston’s work has been recognized for its potential to speed up responses to global health threats, making him a notable figure in the push toward automated, accessible diagnostic technologies.