Microfluidics

Research that includes: 

  • Microvalves and fluidic flow control
  • Micropumps
  • Modeling of microfluidics
  • Particulate air monitoring
  • Flow Sensors
  • Capillary Pump Loop
  • Optoelectronic Transport & Tweezers

BPN669: Universal Blood Sample Preparation

John R. Waldeisen
Debkishore Mitra
Erh-Chia Yeh
2012

The Universal Blood Sample Preparation module is part of a molecular diagnostic platform being developed to detect three of the most deadly and burdensome diseases in the world: HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. In order to decrease the time to detection, optimal blood separation techniques are investigated to speed plasma extraction and electrochemical lysis is employed for biomarker extraction.

Project end date: 01/31/13

BPN495: QES: Continuous Flow Cell Lysometer

Timothy P. Brackbill
2012

Single cell analysis is an increasingly important area of consideration. Rather than obtaining a bulk average assay result from a large number of cells, it is possible to do a statistical study on each individual cell in a population. Flow cytometry allows this methodology, but is incapable of testing for compounds inside the cells themselves. It instead relies on using surface markers. Some limited markers (calcium probes) capable of penetrating the cell wall are also available, but are limited to a few very specific tests. Our device will enable the assay of cytosolic (internal)...

BPN627: Stencil Patterning Method Improves Uniformity of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Colonies

Frank B. Myers
2013

Stem cells hold the promise of producing functional tissues which can replace those lost due to disease or injury. New organ tissues, such as those found in the heart, liver, or nervous system, can be created from pluripotent stem cells through the process of “differentiation”. Additionally, pluripotent stem cells can produce an unlimited supply of new stem cells in a process called "self- renewal". In culture, pluripotent stem cells form isolated colonies, and the geometry of these colonies can have a profound impact on their capacity for differentiation. Current culture...

BPN543: Modular Biomolecular Signal Amplification for Colorimetric Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Richard H. Henrikson
John R. Waldeisen
2013

Predictive and preventive diagnostics promise to dramatically improve targeted patient healthcare while vastly reducing systemic costs. However, patients in remote and resource-poor settings have significantly reduced access to valuable diagnostics. We are integrating nucleic acid based molecular recognition elements into microfluidic devices to achieve quantitative measures of a range of biomarkers without the need for external equipment. We have further designed an opto- biochemical signal amplification component for downstream readout. We aim to reduce assay cost, time- to-answer...

BPN668: Microfluidic Chemo-Sensitivity Assay Platform (µCAP) for Personalized Breast Cancer Therapy and Research

Debkishore Mitra
2013

Tumor chemo-sensitivity assays (TCA) involve the in vitro exposure of cultured cancerous cells to different drugs at varying concentrations. These analyses are traditionally used to determine drug susceptibilities, of cancerous cells in vitro, and can help discern whether a certain drug regimen will work against a tumor of a certain individual. This paradigm of personalized medicine has been explored in breast cancer, where a correlation has been shown between TCA guided therapy and clinical outcome. Microfluidic platforms can provide clinicians the ability to perform such assays...

BPN728: Paper-Based Integrated Diagnostic Chip for Nucleic Acid Detection of HIV from Blood

Fei Liu
Sang Hun Lee
Jun Ho Son
Erh-Chia (Charlie) Yeh
2013

Development of point-of-care (POC) molecular diagnostic devices is critical for the global healthcare and personalized medicine. Current POC molecular diagnostic platforms are based on polymeric or glass substrates. If we use them frequently for molecular diagnostics in both developed and developing countries, the swamping of disposable medical waste is serious problem. In order to solve this problem, we are developing integrative paper-based molecular diagnostic devices (IPMD) with the capability of nucleic acid detection of HIV from blood, which allow safe and proper disposal for...

BPN611: Integrated Amplification and Readout for Multiplexed Biomarker Detection in a Rapid, Simple and Inexpensive Microfluidic System

Richard H. Henrikson
Frank B. Myers
Liyi Xu
Ivan K. Dimov
2013

Current methods for biomolecular quantification are prohibitively slow and expensive for many interesting field applications. We are developing an integrated microfluidic system for simple and robust biomolecular amplification coupled with an inexpensive reader for a range of point-of-need diagnostic solutions.

Project end date: 09/09/13

BPN719: Single Cell Micro-Chambers for Circulating Tumor Cell Detection

Gordon D. Hoople
2013

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a critical role in understanding cancer; however they are not yet well understood. Currently only one device, a benchtop solution manufactured by Verdex, is approved for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration to detect CTCs. This research project focuses on developing a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip solution for detecting and working with circulating tumor cells. Previous research in single microwell encapsulation of erythrocytes will be leveraged to create a device to capture CTCs in individual wells and screen them through mechanical...

BPN645: Highly-Parallel Magnetically-Actuated Microvalves

Pauline J. Chang
2013

This project aims to develop highly-parallel, magnetically-actuated microvalves using CMOS- compatible technology. Current state-of-the-art microvalve technologies require extensive supporting experimental apparatus and do not yield true lab-on-a-chip functionality. Here, the focus is placed on true chip-scale valve arrays based on low-power, on-chip magnetic coils which are used to actuate 100 micron diameter magnetic spheres that serve as the valve sealing surface. Prior studies of magnetic bead manipulation by planar coils, spin-valve arrays, and rotating magnetic fields have...

BPN725: One-Step Electrokinetic Nucleic Acid Preconcentrator for PCR-Based Point-of-Care Diagnosis

Chi-Cheng Fu
Qiong Pan
Brian N. Kim
2013

One of the key avenues to improving global health is to diagnose and control infectious diseases, such as HIV and malaria. Viral-specific nucleic acid (NA) amplification (such as polymerase chain reaction, PCR) is often used to meet such a requirement; however, complicated blood sample preparation (NA purification) by sophisticated equipments inevitably restricts its applications for portable point-of-care diagnosis, especially in third-world countries. For instance, solid phase NA extraction methods require a multistep protocol (NA binding, washing and elution) with pipetting and...