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A Microfluidic Chip for the Versatile Chemical Analysis of Single Cells
Published on: October 15, 2013
Microfluidic chip for combinatorial mixing and screening of assays
Benjamin R Schudel1, Charles J Choi, Brian T Cunningham
1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|June 5, 2009
Summary
This study presents a novel microfluidic well plate with integrated photonic crystal biosensors for sensitive molecular detection. The design enables discrete mixing and on-chip sensing, facilitating combinatorial screening applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Microfluidics
- Biosensing Technology
Background:
- Combinatorial screening requires high-throughput methods for analyzing molecular interactions.
- Existing platforms often lack integrated sensing and free transport capabilities.
- Microfluidic devices offer miniaturization and precise control for biological assays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design, fabricate, and validate a microfluidic well plate for combinatorial screening.
- To integrate photonic crystal biosensors for on-chip, in situ detection of molecular binding.
- To enable decoupled operation from pneumatic controls for enhanced usability.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a microfluidic chip with 200-picoliter compartments per well.
- Integration of photonic crystal biosensors within each compartment.
- Utilization of Actuate-to-Open valves for compartment isolation.
- Performance of a 4x4 protein/antibody binding assay.
Main Results:
- Successful demonstration of discrete mixing within compartments.
- On-chip, in situ detection of (bio-)molecular binding events achieved.
- Validation of the microfluidic chip's transportability and decoupling from pneumatic lines.
- Proof-of-principle binding assay confirmed device functionality.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic well plate is suitable for combinatorial screening.
- Integrated photonic crystal biosensors provide sensitive on-chip detection.
- The valve system allows for versatile and user-friendly operation in various experimental setups.
