Developing Microfluidic Systems for Biochemical and Cell-Based Assays

Microfluidics has long offered the promise of smaller, more efficient and more biologically relevant assay systems. However, this has proven to be challenging due to the behavior liquids at microliter volumes and bubbles, and scale up for manufacturing. Microfluidic systems often include other components such as environmental control units, optics and/or motion control devices as well.

Managing all of these elements using iterative design and prototyping can play a key role in successful project delivery. Use of low cost off the shelf mechanical products (e.g., peristaltic and syringe pumps, solenoid valves, programmable logic controllers) coupled with an ability to write basic code gives scientists and engineers the ability to rapidly prototype without the need for large cost overheads.

There is a large amount of, often free, support across variety on topics on many online platforms which make these technologies accessible to everyone. This approach comes with a steep early learning curve but can reduce initial equipment spend by over 10-fold and will allow for more efficient systems integration during product development.  

Marrying these technologies with biochemical or cellular assays has the potential to bring disruptive change across fields as diverse as personalized medicine, diagnostics and drug screening.

Who Should Attend?

• Those interested in getting an overview on how to practically begin a microfluidics project
• Microfluidics technology experts who want to learn more about other application approaches
• Project leaders who want to understand which technologies suit their needs and how to direct technology development
• Technology providers who want to gain more insight into the needs of typical users and the limitations they experience

Course Benefits

• Get an introduction to the practical implementation of microfluidics for biochemical and cell-based assays through the general overview into the pros and cons of microfluidics systems.
• Learn about the equipment that can be used including pumps, valves, prototyping technologies.
• Discuss the different considerations (including gas diffusion, fluid exchange, optical access) for biochemical and cell based assays will be explored.
• Learn more about fabrication techniques, materials and optical measurement approaches (colorimetry, luminescence and image analysis with and without machine learning).
• Explore the system integration of microfluidics, mechanical and optical systems.
• Receive an introduction to coding for subsystem integration.

Course Topics

• CAD, CAM, prototyping with CNC’s and 3D printers
• Material selection
• Design considerations at microfluidic scales
• Pumps and pumping
• Motion control
• Optics
• Programmable logic controllers
• Software user interfaces
• Biochemical assays
• Cellular assays

Instructor

Tudor Petreus, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Scientist (CN-Bio)