Microfluidics

Research that includes: 

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

LPL33: Time Division Multiplexed Microfluidic Lateral Patch Clamp Array

Mike Mueller
Michelle Khine
Cristian Ionescu-Zanetti
Niraj Patel
2005

Our goal is to apply newly emerging technology in MEMS and microfluidics to create a high-throughput electrophysiology platform for characterizing ion channels in drug discovery and drug development. We plan to replace the micropipette of the original patch clamp design with Ag/AgCl electrodes, and form arrays of electrodes to create a high-throughput patch clamp system on a chip. The device should be high-throughput, to increase the amount of data able to be collected per unit time. Furthermore, the device should be largely automated, in order to reduce or eliminate the manual labor...

BPN310: Integrated Microfluidic SERS Devices

Beomseok Kim
Jeonggi Seo
2005

Raman is a label-free analytical method, which offers tremendous advantages for biomolecular detection. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique can overcome the low cross-sectional problems inherent in Raman spectroscopy. SERS has been observed for a very large number of molecules adsorbed on the surface of Au or Ag in a variety of morphologies and physical environments. With these environments, its detection limit can reach up to 6-10 orders of magnitude over conventional Raman spectroscopy. We know nanoparticle sizes (15-200 nm) and interparticle spaces (0-10 nm) are...

DL11: Microflow Control using Thermally Responsive Triblock Copolymers

Boris Stoeber
2005

Dilute aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)x-poly(propylene oxide)y-poly(ethylene oxide)x triblock copolymers undergo reversible gel formation at elevated temperatures. This effect can be effectively used for active and passive flow control in microfluidic devices, where the gel phase can block the flow channel partially or entirely. Heat transfer occurs fast through the typically small width of a microchannel resulting in a fast valve response time. A novel micromixing concept has been developed based on active microvalves.

Project end date: 08/31/05

LPL36: Behavior of water and ice in nanocavities

J. Tanner Nevill
2005

Nanogap sensors have been developed to study various biochemical reactions such as DNA hybridization, protein conformation, and polymer formation. Recently, the nanogap sensors have been used to study the dielectric properties of water and ice. It is well known that water plays a vital role in many processes on the molecular level. Without water, there would be no cell membranes, no ion transport, no protein ligand interaction, and the list can go on ad nauseum. Although we recognize how important water is to these functions, the precise role of water is still not completely...

LPL40: Digitized Microfluidic Device for Single Cell Analysis

Junyu Mai
Poorya Sabounchi
2005

Most of current clinical diagnosis is based on observation and analysis on a large number of cells, which provides averaged or integrated information about the disease state. However, many diseases start from a small number of mutated or unhealthy cells while most other cells remain normal. In order to detect these precursors as early as possible, a high throughput single cell based detection method is required for the analysis of large number of cells from tissue samples. Here we report a microfluidic device where individual cells are encapsulated in nano-liter aqueous compartments...

LPL34: Single-Cell Electroporation Microchip

Michelle Khine
Adrian Lau
Cristian Ionescu-Zanetti
2005

We previously demonstrated the feasibility of electroporating single cells using an elastomeric device with small (3x4 ìm) lateral trapping/electroporation channels. Single cell electroporation increases the cell membrane's permeability, allowing polar substances otherwise impermeant to the plasma membrane (such as dyes, drugs, DNA, proteins, peptides, and amino acids) to be thus introduced into the cell. Single cell electroporation techniques, pioneered by Lundqvist et al using carbon fiber electrodes, include: electrolyte-filled capillaries, micropipettes and microfabricated chips...

APP98/LPL: Insulative Dielectrophoresis (iDEP) Preconcentration and Ultrasonic Lysis of Bacterial Endospores in a Zeonor Substrate

Trey Cauley
2005

This research project seeks to integrate an insulative dielectrophoretic (iDEP) pre-concentrator along with an ultrasonic bacterial endospore lyser into a single Zeonor substrate. This project is unique in that it combines aluminum nitride (AlN) ultrasonic transducers (developed at UC Berkeley) for endospore lysis with insulative dielectrophoretic concentrators (iDEP – developed at Sandia National Laboratories) for the first time on a common Zeonor substrate. The ultrasonic resonator will be mechanically packaged by the Zeonor substrate and will have the appropriate fluidic and...

RTH/JDK2: Biomimetic Nanofabrication of Silica Structures Based on Diatoms

William J. Holtz
2006

Diatoms are a type of brown algae that create hydrated silicon-dioxide structures with feature sizes down to 5 nm at ambient temperature and pressure. The goal of this project is to replicate these processes in vitro and then manipulate the process parameters to create engineered structures.

Project end date: 01/09/06

MCW1: Optoelectronic Tweezers for Cell and Microparticle Manipulation

Pei-Yu (Eric) Chiou
2005

Optical tweezers have been widely used to manipulate biological cells and particles since it was demonstrated by Ashkin in 1986. However, optical manipulation using direct optical force requires tight optical focusing and is only availabe in small area. Here, we proposed a novel mechanism which enables optical manipulation using optical power 5 orders of magnitude less than that of conventional optical tweezers. This mechanism is realied by inducing optically defined virtual electrodes on semiconductive thin films. This induced virtual electrodes create highly non-uniform electric...

LPL32: Disposable Multi Patch Clamps Using Planar Fludic Channels

Jeonggi Seo
2005

Patch clamp technique has had a profound impact on electrophysiology, playing a crucial role in the characterization of cellular ion channels. Traditionally, the technique was accomplished with a glass pipette positioned by a micromanipulator under a microscope. Even though patch clamp technique has been improved, it is still laborious and requires precise micromanipulation of glass pipettes and skillful handling of the electrical sealing. In addition, the irreversible sealing between cell membranes and pipettes need a new pipette for every new experiment. Because of these...