1
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Dong C, Li F, Sun Y, Long D, Chen C, Li M, Wei T, Martins RP, Chen T, Mak PI. A syndromic diagnostic assay on a macrochannel-to-digital microfluidic platform for automatic identification of multiple respiratory pathogens. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3850-3862. [PMID: 37961846 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00728f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has changed people's lives and the diagnostic landscape. The nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) as the gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 detection has been applied in containing its transmission. However, there remains a lack of an affordable on-site detection system at resource-limited areas. In this study, a low cost "sample-in-answer-out" system incorporating nucleic acid extraction, purification, and amplification was developed on a single macrochannel-to-digital microfluidic chip. The macrochannel fluidic subsystem worked as a world-to-chip interface receiving 500-1000 μL raw samples, which then underwent bead-based extraction and purification processes before being delivered to DMF. Electrodes actuate an eluent dispensed to eight independent droplets for reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). By reading with 4 florescence channels, the system can accommodate a maximum of 32 detection targets. To evaluate the proposed platform, a comprehensive assessment was conducted on the microfluidic chip as well as its functional components (i.e., extraction and amplification). The platform demonstrated a superior performance. In particular, using clinical specimens, the chip targeting SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A/B exhibited 100% agreement with off-chip diagnoses. Furthermore, the fabrication of chips is ready for scaled-up manufacturing and they are cost-effective for disposable use since they are assembled using a printed circuit board (PCB) and prefabricated blocks. Overall, the macrochannel-to-digital microfluidic platform coincides with the requirements of point-of-care testing (POCT) because of its advantages: low-cost, ease of use, comparable sensitivity and specificity, and availability for mass production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Dong
- School of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering/JNU-Industry School of Artificial Intelligence, Jinan University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Digifluidic Biotech Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Yun Sun
- Digifluidic Biotech Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Dongling Long
- Zhuhai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhuhai 519087, China
| | - Chunzhao Chen
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhu Hai 519087, China
| | - Mengyan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, 07102, USA
| | - Tao Wei
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Pan Asia (Jiangmen) Institute of Biological Engineering and Health, Jiangmen, 529080, China
| | - Rui P Martins
- State-Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, 999078, China.
| | | | - Pui-In Mak
- State-Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, 999078, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, 999078, China
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2
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Huang D, Huang E, Cai D, Chen Z, Wen H, Wang Y, Ma D, Lu Y, Liu X, Liu D. Automated Droplet Ejection from a Digital Microfluidics Sample Pretreatment Device Enables Batch-Mode Chemiluminescence Immunoassay. Anal Chem 2024. [PMID: 39103289 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c02217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) features programmed manipulation of fluids in multiple steps, making it a valuable tool for sample pretreatment. However, the integration of sample pretreatment with its downstream reaction and detection requires transferring droplets from the DMF device to the outside world. To address this issue, the present study developed a modified DMF device that allows automated droplet ejection out of the chip, facilitated by a tailor-designed interface. A double-layered DMF microchip with an oil-filled medium was flipped over, with a liquid infusion port and a liquid expulsion port accommodated on the top working PCB plate and the bottom grounded ITO plate, respectively, to facilitate chip-to-world delivery of droplets. Using chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) as an illustrative application, the sample pretreatment was programmed on the DMF device, and CLIA droplets were ejected from the chip for signal reading. In our workflow, CLIA droplets can be ejected from the DMF device through the chip-to-world interface, freeing up otherwise occupied electrodes for more sample pretreatment and enabling streamlined droplet microreactions and batch-mode operation for bioanalysis. Integrated with these interfacing portals, the DMF system achieved a single-channel throughput of 17 samples per hour, which can be further upscaled for more productive applications by parallelizing the DMF modules. The results of this study demonstrate that the droplet ejection function that is innovated in a DMF sample pretreatment microsystem can significantly improve analytical throughput, providing an approach to establishing an automated but decentralized biochemical sample preparation workstation for large-scale and continuous bioanalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezhi Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Enqi Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Dongyang Cai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Zhenhua Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Hongting Wen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Dachuan Ma
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China
| | - Yao Lu
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China
| | - Xianming Liu
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China
| | - Dayu Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
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3
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Zhang R, Zhang C, Fan X, Au Yeung CCK, Li H, Lin H, Shum HC. A droplet robotic system enabled by electret-induced polarization on droplet. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6220. [PMID: 39043732 PMCID: PMC11266649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50520-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Robotics for scientific research are evolving from grasping macro-scale solid materials to directly actuating micro-scale liquid samples. However, current liquid actuation mechanisms often restrict operable liquid types or compromise the activity of biochemical samples by introducing interfering mediums. Here, we propose a robotic liquid handling system enabled by a novel droplet actuation mechanism, termed electret-induced polarization on droplet (EPD). EPD enables all-liquid actuation in principle and experimentally exhibits generality for actuating various inorganic/organic liquids with relative permittivity ranging from 2.25 to 84.2 and volume from 500 nL to 1 mL. Moreover, EPD is capable of actuating various biochemical samples without compromising their activities, including various body fluids, living cells, and proteins. A robotic system is also coupled with the EPD mechanism to enable full automation. EPD's high adaptability with liquid types and biochemical samples thus promotes the automation of liquid-based scientific experiments across multiple disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotong Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chengzhi Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoxue Fan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Christina C K Au Yeung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huiyanchen Li
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Haisong Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Ho Cheung Shum
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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4
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Liu K, He Y, Lu Z, Xu Q, Wang L, Liu Z, Khou J, Ye J, Liu C, Zhang T. Laser-induced graphene-based digital microfluidics (gDMF): a versatile platform with sub-one-dollar cost. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3125-3134. [PMID: 38770672 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00258j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF), is an emerging liquid-handling technology, that shows promising potential in various biological and biomedical applications. However, the fabrication of conventional DMF chips is usually complicated, time-consuming, and costly, which seriously limits their widespread applications, especially in the field of point-of-care testing (POCT). Although the paper- or film-based DMF devices can offer an inexpensive and convenient alternative, they still suffer from the planar addressing structure, and thus, limited electrode quantity. To address the above issues, we herein describe the development of a laser-induced graphene (LIG) based digital microfluidics chip (gDMF). It can be easily made (within 10 min, under ambient conditions, without the need of costly materials or cleanroom-based techniques) by a computer-controlled laser scribing process. Moreover, both the planar addressing DMF (pgDMF) and vertical addressing DMF (vgDMF) can be readily achieved, with the latter offering the potential of a higher electrode density. Also, both of them have an impressively low cost of below $1 ($0.85 for pgDMF, $0.59 for vgDMF). Experiments also show that both pgDMF and vgDMF have a comparable performance to conventional DMF devices, with a colorimetric assay performed on vgDMF as proof-of-concept to demonstrate their applicability. Given the simple fabrication, low cost, full function, and the ease of modifying the electrode pattern for various applications, it is reasonably expect that the proposed gDMF may offer an alternative choice as a versatile platform for POCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Liu
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Yu He
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation and Intelligent Systems, Huzhou Institute of Zhejiang University, Huzhou 313002, China
| | - Zefan Lu
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Qiudi Xu
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Lan Wang
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Zhongxuan Liu
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Jeremy Khou
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
| | - Jiaming Ye
- Tinkerbio Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Chong Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosurgery of Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310023, China.
- Research Center for Analytical Instrumentation and Intelligent Systems, Huzhou Institute of Zhejiang University, Huzhou 313002, China
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5
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Wu Y, Sun Y, Pei C, Peng X, Liu X, Qian EW, Du Y, Li JJ. Automated chemoenzymatic modular synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides on a digital microfluidic platform. RSC Adv 2024; 14:17397-17405. [PMID: 38813121 PMCID: PMC11134329 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01395f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycans, along with proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, constitute the four fundamental classes of biomacromolecules found in living organisms. Generally, glycans are attached to proteins or lipids to form glycoconjugates that perform critical roles in various biological processes. Automatic synthesis of glycans is essential for investigation into structure-function relationships of glycans. In this study, we presented a method that integrated magnetic bead-based manipulation and modular chemoenzymatic synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), on a DMF (Digital Microfluidics) platform. On the DMF platform, enzymatic modular reactions were conducted in solution, and purification of products or intermediates was achieved by using DEAE magnetic beads, circumventing the intricate steps required for traditional solid-phase synthesis. With this approach, we have successfully synthesized eleven HMOs with highest yields of up to >90% on the DMF platform. This study would not only lay the foundation for OPME synthesis of glycans on the DMF platform, but also set the stage for developing automated enzymatic glycan synthesizers based on the DMF platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Yunze Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Caixia Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Nakacho 2-24-16, Koganei Tokyo 184-8588 Japan
| | - Xinlv Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Xianming Liu
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Eika W Qian
- Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Nakacho 2-24-16, Koganei Tokyo 184-8588 Japan
| | - Yuguang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
| | - Jian-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China
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6
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Zhai J, Liu Y, Ji W, Huang X, Wang P, Li Y, Li H, Wong AHH, Zhou X, Chen P, Wang L, Yang N, Chen C, Chen H, Mak PI, Deng CX, Martins R, Yang M, Ho TY, Yi S, Yao H, Jia Y. Drug screening on digital microfluidics for cancer precision medicine. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4363. [PMID: 38778087 PMCID: PMC11111680 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48616-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug screening based on in-vitro primary tumor cell culture has demonstrated potential in personalized cancer diagnosis. However, the limited number of tumor cells, especially from patients with early stage cancer, has hindered the widespread application of this technique. Hence, we developed a digital microfluidic system for drug screening using primary tumor cells and established a working protocol for precision medicine. Smart control logic was developed to increase the throughput of the system and decrease its footprint to parallelly screen three drugs on a 4 × 4 cm2 chip in a device measuring 23 × 16 × 3.5 cm3. We validated this method in an MDA-MB-231 breast cancer xenograft mouse model and liver cancer specimens from patients, demonstrating tumor suppression in mice/patients treated with drugs that were screened to be effective on individual primary tumor cells. Mice treated with drugs screened on-chip as ineffective exhibited similar results to those in the control groups. The effective drug identified through on-chip screening demonstrated consistency with the absence of mutations in their related genes determined via exome sequencing of individual tumors, further validating this protocol. Therefore, this technique and system may promote advances in precision medicine for cancer treatment and, eventually, for any disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Weiqing Ji
- School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xinru Huang
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Haoran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Ada Hang-Heng Wong
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- College of electrical and information engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Lianhong Wang
- College of electrical and information engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Ning Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Department of Electronic Information Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Chi Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haitian Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pui-In Mak
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Chu-Xia Deng
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Rui Martins
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- On leave from Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mengsu Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tsung-Yi Ho
- Department of Compute Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuhong Yi
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Hailong Yao
- School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.
| | - Yanwei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
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7
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Kachkine A, Velásquez-García LF. High-Performance, Low-Cost, Additively Manufactured Electrospray Ion Sources for Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:862-870. [PMID: 38518255 PMCID: PMC11066956 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
We report novel 3D-printed electrospray sources for mass spectrometry (MS) that produce twice the signal strength of their mainstream counterparts. Leveraging 3D printing to fabricate in bulk nano- and microscale-featured electrospray emitters, this work shows a path for scalable integration in clinically relevant diagnostics. This solution improves the device performance by simultaneously tuning the surface hydrophilicity, solvent evaporation, and geometry. The emitters are made of stainless-steel (SS) 316L via binder jetting and coated in a conformal, hydrothermally grown zinc oxide nanowire (ZnONW) forest. The printed emitters are designed as surface mount devices that can be directly soldered to printed circuit boards with built-in digital microfluidics as part of an automated device assembly. The electrospray sources use a novel extractor electrode design that enables operation at ∼24% larger bias voltages compared with conventional MS cylindrical inlets. The 3D-printed electrospray emitters were characterized against their state-of-the-art counterparts (coated blades and paper spray). MS data from the 3D-printed electrospray emitters show detection of therapeutically relevant targets at 1 μg/ml concentrations with a variety of solvents; for nicardipine, such emitters attain 116% higher signal-to-noise ratios and far greater stability than their counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Kachkine
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Luis Fernando Velásquez-García
- Microsystems
Technology Laboratories, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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8
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Liu X, Cai J, Wang W, Chai Y. Multiplex digital microfluidics using serial controls and its applications in glucose sensing. SLAS Technol 2024; 29:100105. [PMID: 37652174 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) has found great applications in vitro diagnostics (IVD). Compared to the microfabrication-based DMF, printed circuit board (PCB)-based DMF is more economical and compatible with existing IVD instruments. Despite that, current PCB-based DMF is oftentimes limited by the available droplets that can be controlled simultaneously, compromising their throughput and applications as point-of-care tools. In this work, a platform that simultaneously controls multiple PCB-based DMF plates was constructed. The software and hardware were first developed, followed by the reliability tests. Colorimetric analysis of glucose was applied to the PCB-based DMF, demonstrating the capability of this platform. With the high throughput enabled by simultaneous operations of multiple plates, this PCB-based DMF can potentially allow point-of-care testing with low cost for resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jinying Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wenjia Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yujuan Chai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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9
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Xu J, Wang X, Huang Q, He X. Droplet manipulation on an adjustable closed-open digital microfluidic system utilizing asymmetric EWOD. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 24:8-19. [PMID: 38009064 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00856h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
The closed-open digital microfluidic (DMF) system offers a versatile and powerful platform for various applications by combining the advantages of both closed and open structures. The current closed-open DMF system faces challenges in scaling up due to electrode structural differences between closed and open regions. Here we developed an adjustable closed-open DMF platform by utilizing the modified slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) with asymmetric electrowetting on dielectric (AEWOD) as a hydrophobic dielectric layer. The consistent electrode structures of the bottom printed circuit board (PCB) electrode array on both the closed and open regions, and the utilization of a transparent acrylic with floating potential as the top plate allow a low-cost and easily scalable closed-open DMF system to be achieved. The impacts of applied voltage, parallel plate spacing, electrode switching interval, and electrode driving strategies on various droplet manipulations were investigated. The results show that the optimal plate spacings range from 340-510 μm within the closed region. Meanwhile, we also studied the influence of the thickness, geometry, and position of the top plate on the droplet movement at the closed-open boundary. Through force analysis and experimentation, it is found that a thin top plate and a bevel of ∼4° can effectively facilitate the movement of droplets at the boundary. Finally, we successfully achieved protein staining experiments on this platform and developed a customized smartphone application for the accurate detection of protein concentration. This innovative closed-open DMF system provides new possibilities for future applications in real-time biological sample processing and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsong Xu
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xingcheng Wang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Qingyuan Huang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xiaodong He
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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10
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Feng H, Shen S, Jin M, Zhang Q, Liu M, Wu Z, Chen J, Yi Z, Zhou G, Shui L. Microwell Confined Electro-Coalescence for Rapid Formation of High-Throughput Droplet Array. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2302998. [PMID: 37449335 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202302998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Droplet array is widely applied in single cell analysis, drug screening, protein crystallization, etc. This work proposes and validates a method for rapid formation of uniform droplet array based on microwell confined droplets electro-coalescence of screen-printed emulsion droplets, namely electro-coalescence droplet array (ECDA). The electro-coalescence of droplets is according to the polarization induced electrostatic and dielectrophoretic forces, and the dielectrowetting effect. The photolithographically fabricated microwells are highly regular and reproducible, ensuring identical volume and physical confinement to achieve uniform droplet array, and meanwhile the microwell isolation protects the paired water droplets from further fusion and broadens its feasibility to different fluidic systems. Under optimized conditions, a droplet array with an average diameter of 85 µm and a throughput of 106 in a 10 cm × 10 cm chip can be achieved within 5 s at 120 Vpp and 50 kHz. This ECDA chip is validated for various microwell geometries and functional materials. The optimized ECDA are successfully applied for digital viable bacteria counting, showing comparable results to the plate culture counting. Such an ECDA chip, as a digitizable and high-throughput platform, presents excellent potential for high-throughput screening, analysis, absolute quantification, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoqiang Feng
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Shitao Shen
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Mingliang Jin
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Qilin Zhang
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Mengjun Liu
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Zihao Wu
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Jiamei Chen
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- Shenzhen Bao'an District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, 518133, P. R. China
| | - Zichuan Yi
- College of Electron and Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan, 528402, P. R. China
| | - Guofu Zhou
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Lingling Shui
- International Joint Laboratory of Optofluidic Technology and System, National Centre for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
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11
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Sun Y, Wu Y, Ma D, Li JJ, Liu X, You Y, Lu J, Liu Z, Cheng X, Du Y. Digital microfluidics-engaged automated enzymatic degradation and synthesis of oligosaccharides. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1201300. [PMID: 37415787 PMCID: PMC10320006 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1201300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycans are an important group of natural biopolymers, which not only play the role of a major biological energy resource but also as signaling molecules. As a result, structural characterization or sequencing of glycans, as well as targeted synthesis of glycans, is of great interest for understanding their structure-function relationship. However, this generally involves tedious manual operations and high reagent consumptions, which are the main technical bottlenecks retarding the advances of both automatic glycan sequencing and synthesis. Until now, automated enzymatic glycan sequencers or synthesizers are still not available on the market. In this study, to promote the development of automation in glycan sequencing or synthesis, first, programmed degradation and synthesis of glycans catalyzed by enzymes were successfully conducted on a digital microfluidic (DMF) device by using microdroplets as microreactors. In order to develop automatic glycan synthesizers and sequencers, a strategy integrating enzymatic oligosaccharide degradation or synthesis and magnetic manipulation to realize the separation and purification process after enzymatic reactions was designed and performed on DMF. An automatic process for enzymatic degradation of tetra-N-acetyl chitotetraose was achieved. Furthermore, the two-step enzymatic synthesis of lacto-N-tetraose was successfully and efficiently completed on the DMF platform. This work demonstrated here would open the door to further develop automatic enzymatic glycan synthesizers or sequencers based on DMF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunze Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dachuan Ma
- Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Jian-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianming Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Yuanjiang You
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuguang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Wu X, Tang D, He Q, Liu L, Jia Z, Tan Y. Research progress of electrode shapes in EWOD-based digital microfluidics. RSC Adv 2023; 13:16815-16827. [PMID: 37283873 PMCID: PMC10240258 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra01817b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) is an innovative technology used for precise manipulation of liquid droplets. This technology has garnered significant attention in both industrial applications and scientific research due to its unique advantages. Among the key components of DMF, the driving electrode plays a role in facilitating droplet generation, transportation, splitting, merging, and mixing. This comprehensive review aims to present an in-depth understanding of the working principle of DMF particularly focusing on the Electrowetting On Dielectric (EWOD) method. Furthermore, it examines the impact of driving electrodes with varying geometries on droplet manipulation. By analyzing and comparing their characteristics, this review offers valuable insights and a fresh perspective on the design and application of driving electrodes in DMF based on the EWOD approach. Lastly, an assessment of the development trend and potential applications of DMF concludes the review, providing an outlook for future prospects in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyue Wu
- School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-fast/Micro-nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China Hengyang 421001 China
| | - Dongbao Tang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-fast/Micro-nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China Hengyang 421001 China
| | - Qianpei He
- Department of Comparative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Luxuan Liu
- School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-fast/Micro-nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China Hengyang 421001 China
| | - Zhaoyuan Jia
- School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-fast/Micro-nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China Hengyang 421001 China
| | - Yuyu Tan
- School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-fast/Micro-nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China Hengyang 421001 China
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13
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Hu S, Ye J, Shi S, Yang C, Jin K, Hu C, Wang D, Ma H. Large-Area Electronics-Enabled High-Resolution Digital Microfluidics for Parallel Single-Cell Manipulation. Anal Chem 2023; 95:6905-6914. [PMID: 37071892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Large-area electronics as switching elements are an ideal option for electrode-array-based digital microfluidics. With support of highly scalable thin-film semiconductor technology, high-resolution digital droplets (diameter around 100 μm) containing single-cell samples can be manipulated freely on a two-dimensional plane with programmable addressing logic. In addition, single-cell generation and manipulation as foundations for single-cell research demand ease of operation, multifunctionality, and accurate tools. In this work, we reported an active-matrix digital microfluidic platform for single-cell generation and manipulation. The active device contained 26,368 electrodes that could be independently addressed to perform parallel and simultaneous droplet generation and achieved single-cell manipulation. We demonstrate a high-resolution digital droplet generation with a droplet volume limit of 500 pL and show the continuous and stable movement of droplet-contained cells for over 1 h. Furthermore, the success rate of single droplet formation was higher than 98%, generating tens of single cells within 10 s. In addition, a pristine single-cell generation rate of 29% was achieved without further selection procedures, and the droplets containing single cells could then be tested for on-chip cell culturing. After 20 h of culturing, about 12.5% of the single cells showed cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Jingmin Ye
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Subao Shi
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yang
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Kai Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Chenxuan Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Dongping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Hanbin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
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14
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Liang H, Chen L, Zhang H, Liu X. Simple Method to Generate Droplets Spontaneously by a Superhydrophobic Double-Layer Split Nozzle. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:4730-4738. [PMID: 36961251 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Given the problems of traditional droplet generation devices, such as the complex structure and processing technology, difficulty in droplet separation, and low transfer accuracy, we propose a low-adhesion superhydrophobic double-layer split nozzle (SDSN). It realizes spontaneous droplet generation by using an interfacial tension force inside the micro-hole to drive the droplet snap-off. It successfully achieves stable and highly consistent droplets on the micrometer-scale circular micro-hole. Droplets with a volume in the range of 0.65-1.75 ± 0.007 μL can be precisely achieved by adjusting the hole size of the SDSN from 100 to 500 μm. The SDSN is prepared by conventional mechanical drilling, chemical etching, and low surface energy modification. Compared with traditional droplet generation devices, no photolithography process is required, and the cost is lower. Moreover, the droplets can be obtained directly without any post-processing, avoiding the problem of separating droplets from another solution. The stability of SDSN is good, and the droplet volume is not affected by the fluctuation of external conditions. The rate of droplet generation can be freely adjusted by adjusting the speed of the electronic microinjection pump without affecting the droplet volume. It enables efficient droplet transfer without liquid residue, which improves the transfer accuracy and helps to save the use of expensive reagents. This simple but effective structure will be of great help to make breakthroughs in next-generation spontaneous droplet generation, liquid transport, and digital microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Liang
- MEMS Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Liang Chen
- MEMS Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Micro-Systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150001, China
- MEMS Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Micro-Systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150001, China
- MEMS Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource & Environment (Harbin Institute of Technology), Harbin 150001, China
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15
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Ahmadi F, Simchi M, Perry JM, Frenette S, Benali H, Soucy JP, Massarweh G, Shih SCC. Integrating machine learning and digital microfluidics for screening experimental conditions. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 23:81-91. [PMID: 36416045 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00764a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) has the signatures of an ideal liquid handling platform - as shown through almost two decades of automated biological and chemical assays. However, in the current state of DMF, we are still limited by the number of parallel biological or chemical assays that can be performed on DMF. Here, we report a new approach that leverages design-of-experiment and numerical methodologies to accelerate experimental optimization on DMF. The integration of the one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) experimental technique with machine learning algorithms provides a set of recommended optimal conditions without the need to perform a large set of experiments. We applied our approach towards optimizing the radiochemistry synthesis yield given the large number of variables that affect the yield. We believe that this work is the first to combine such techniques which can be readily applied to any other assays that contain many parameters and levels on DMF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Ahmadi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada.
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Mohammad Simchi
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Rd, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - James M Perry
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Stephane Frenette
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Habib Benali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada.
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Jean-Paul Soucy
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Gassan Massarweh
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Steve C C Shih
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada.
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, 7200 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
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16
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Bead Number Effect in a Magnetic-Beads-Based Digital Microfluidic Immunoassay. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12050340. [PMID: 35624641 PMCID: PMC9138409 DOI: 10.3390/bios12050340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In a biomedical diagnosis with a limited sample volume and low concentration, droplet-based microfluidics, also called digital microfluidics, becomes a very attractive approach. Previously, our group developed a magnetic-beads-based digital microfluidic immunoassay with a bead number of around 100, requiring less than 1 μL of sample volume to achieve a pg/mL level limit of detection (LOD). However, the bead number in each measurement was not the same, causing an unstable coefficient of variation (CV) in the calibration curve. Here, we investigated whether a fixed number of beads in this bead-based digital microfluidic immunoassay could provide more stable results. First, the bead screening chips were developed to extract exactly 100, 49, and 25 magnetic beads with diameters of less than 6 μm. Then, four calibration curves were established. One calibration curve was constructed by using varying bead numbers (50–160) in the process. The other three calibration curves used a fixed number of beads, (100, 49, and 25). The results indicated that the CVs for a fixed number of beads were evidently smaller than the CVs for varying bead numbers, especially in the range of 1 pg/mL to 100 pg/mL, where the CVs for 100 beads were less than 10%. Furthermore, the calculated LOD, based on the composite calibration curves, could be reduced by three orders, from 3.0 pg/mL (for the unfixed bead number) to 0.0287 pg/mL (for 100 beads). However, when the bead numbers were too high (more than 500) or too low (25 or fewer), the bead manipulation for aggregation became more difficult in the magnetic-beads-based digital microfluidic immunoassay chip.
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17
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Quach ABV, Little SR, Shih SCC. Viral Generation, Packaging, and Transduction on a Digital Microfluidic Platform. Anal Chem 2022; 94:4039-4047. [PMID: 35192339 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Viral-based systems are a popular delivery method for introducing exogenous genetic material into mammalian cells. Unfortunately, the preparation of lentiviruses containing the machinery to edit the cells is labor-intensive, with steps requiring optimization and sensitive handling. To mitigate these challenges, we introduce the first microfluidic method that integrates lentiviral generation, packaging, and transduction. The new method allows the production of viral titers between 106 and 107 (similar to macroscale production) and high transduction efficiency for hard-to-transfect cell lines. We extend the technique for gene editing applications and show how this technique can be used to knock out and knock down estrogen receptor gene─a gene prominently responsible for 70% of breast cancer cases. This new technique is automated with multiplexing capabilities, which have the potential to standardize the methods for viral-based genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela B V Quach
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Samuel R Little
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
| | - Steve C C Shih
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
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