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Reversible static-site PCR via dual-phase confinement in digital microfluidics
Eduardo Cervantes1, Rohit Lal1, Hyunju Leycam1
1INTEGRA Biosciences, 458 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. mais.jebrail@integra-biosciences.com.
Lab on a Chip
|July 29, 2026
Summary
Digital microfluidics (DMF) now supports stable, reversible polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a dual-phase pinning system. This innovation overcomes evaporation and mobility issues, enabling seamless integration into complex biochemical workflows.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Digital microfluidics (DMF) offers programmable droplet manipulation for biochemical assays.
- Integrating polymerase chain reaction (PCR) into DMF is hindered by evaporation, surface fouling, and droplet mobility loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a stable and reversible method for performing PCR in digital microfluidics.
- To address the challenges of evaporation and droplet immobilization during thermocycling in DMF.
Main Methods:
- A dual-phase pinning system (DPPS) was developed, encapsulating aqueous PCR droplets in an immiscible lubricating phase.
- Mechanical confinement via microfabricated posts and electrowetting actuation stabilized droplets during thermocycling.
- Droplet release and re-mobilization were enabled for downstream processing after amplification.
Main Results:
- Evaporation was maintained below 10% during PCR.
- PCR amplification performance was comparable to conventional benchtop methods.
- The system was successfully integrated into next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation and target enrichment workflows.
Conclusions:
- The DPPS provides a practical strategy for reversible static-site PCR in digital microfluidics.
- This method facilitates the integration of PCR into reconfigurable, droplet-based workflows.
- The approach supports downstream applications like NGS library preparation and sequencing.
