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Res. Eng. Athanasios GiannitsisProfessor Mart Min

BEC2010Tallinn, EstoniaOctober 4-6, 2010

Usage of microfluidic lab-on-chips

in biomedicine

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What are the microfluidic lab-on-chips?

Lab-on-chips : A class of submillimetre size bioanalytical devices.

Perform: fluidic processes, sensing, analysis and separation of biochemical samples.

Integrate: fluidics, electronics, optics and biosensors.

Analyse: metabolites, molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, cells and viruses.

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Subsets and supersets of lab-on-chips

μ-TAS

Biosensors

Microfluidic

lab-on-chips devices

Embedded systems

MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems)

Implantable

devices

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Application areas of lab-on-chip devices

Diagnostics

Biochemistry

Bioanalysis

Biosensing

Biotechnology

Biocomputing

Pharmaceutics

Drug tests

Cytometry

Cell biology

Genomics & proteomics

Water & food quality

Environmental monitoring

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Technical advantages of lab-on-chips

Portability

Modularity

Reconfigurability

Embedded computing

Automated sample handling

Low electronic noise

Low power consumption

Straightforward integration

Few moving or spinning components

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Operational advantages of lab-on-chips

Automate laboratory processes like sample transport, dispensing and mixing.

Highly reduce the time of laboratory tests.

Require tiny amounts of sample and reagents.

High reduction of contaminants due to chip sealing and environmental isolation.

Support continuous and segmented flow.

Accelerate chemical reactions due to the use of tiny samples.

Obtainable temperature homogeneity due to tiny fluidic volumes.

Relatively high throughput processing.

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Production advantages of lab-on-chips

Affordable mass production.

Affordable replacement cost.

Relatively short development times.

Short quality tests times.

Require existing commercial computer aided design software.

Require existing commercial modelling software.

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Clinical assessments that lab-on-chip devices are capable for

Nucleic acid amplification

Genenetic mapping(genomics)

Enzymatic assays

Peptide analysis

Protein analysis (proteomics)

Drug tests

Cytometry and cell analysis

Electroporation

Blood tests

Cytotoxicity studies

Bioassays

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Electric actuation methods

Piezoelectric

Electrocapillary

Capillary electrophoresis

Electrowetting

Electroosmosis / streaming potential

Electrophoresis

Dielectrophoresis

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Detection methods

Bioimpedance spectroscopy

Capacitance sensing

Voltametry

Dielectrophoresis & rotational spectra

Fluorescence & image processing

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Types of microfluidic lab-on-chips

Micropumps & microvalves

Fluidic mixers

Droplet generator chips

Electrowetting chips

Electrophoretic chips

Dielectrophoretic chips

Magnetophoretic chips

Bioimpedance chips

Electroporation chips

Microbioreactors

Cytometers

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chips

Immunoassay chips

Microarrays

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Elastomer

pressurisation decompression

Electroactive elastomers and piezoelectric films can be used as control membranes

Microvalves

Closed Open

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Mixers

T-junction fluidic mixer

Increase of mixing

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Droplet generators

Cross-junction droplet generator

T-junction droplet generator

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Electrowetting chips

Ground

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Capillary electrophoresis chips

separation channel

V1

(high voltage pulses)

V2

Inlet of

main flow

Outlet of

main flow

collection

outlet

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Dielectrophoretic chips

Cells collected at electrodes Cells directed away from electrodes

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Magnetophoretic chips

Pipe diameter 0.004 mMagnetic strength 300 GaussFerrofluid type oil basedSurfactant hydrophobic

coils

The magnetic fluid is moving forwards

due to the action of the magnetic force

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Bioimpedance chips

Bioimpedance is capable of sensing cells or nanoparticles

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Optical cytometers

Image acquisitionCytometry

analysis

Fluorescent

image acquisition

via microscopy

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Polymerase chain reaction chips

PCR chips provide temperature homogeneity and reaction conditions

PCR requires three thermal cycles:

Denaturation step at 90-95oC for 20-30 secondsAnnealing step at 50-60oC for 20-40 secondsElongation step at 60-70oC for 5-15 minutes

inlet

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Microarrays

Cellular microarray: examines cells reaction with antibodies proteins or lipids.

DNA microarray: detects DNA / RNA, and gene expression. Protein microarray: detects proteins in liquids, protein to protein

interactions, biomolecules. Antibody microarray: detects antigens, biomarkers, and protein

expressions. Chemical microarray: detects proteins that bind on specific

chemical compounds.

Fluorescence

mapping

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Electronic circuitry on lab-on-chips

Analog front-end

Analog-digital converter ADC

Digital signal processor

Sensor

Signal

Conditioning

Front-end

ADC

Digital

Signal

Processor

Memories

Bus

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Analog Front-end

Input

Low signal amplitude

Low frequency noise

Cross-parameter sensitivity

Output

Volt level output for subsequent ADC

Low noise

Cross-parameter stability

Sensor

(mΩ, fF)Amplifier

mVV

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Future trends in lab-on-chip technology

Technical improvements

Improvement in reliability Improvements in portability Parallel sample processing Ultralow power consumption Smaller and lighter devices Wireless networking Advance user interfaces Standalone computing Standardisation of fabrication

materials Biocompatibility improvements Nanoscale channels

development

Usage benefits Personalised medicine Point-of-care diagnostics Marine sensors Monitor pollution Monitor pandemics / diseases Link to medical and patient

databases Usage as terminal testers Telemedicine Military medicine

BEC2010Tallinn, EstoniaOctober 4-6, 2010