Microfluidics News AdminAug 8, 20181 min[Lab on a chip] Charge-controlled microfluidic formation of lipid-based single- and multicompartmentAbstract: In this manuscript, we introduce a simple, off-the-shelf approach for the on-demand creation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) or multicompartment synthetic cell model systems in a high-throughput manner. To achieve this, we use microfluidics to encapsulate small unilamellar vesicles in block-copolymer surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil droplets. By tuning the charge of the inner droplet interface, adsorption of lipids can be either inhibited, leading to multicom
Microfluidics News AdminApr 13, 20171 min[Cytometry Part A] High-throughput, label-free, single-cell, microalgal lipid screening by machine-lAbstract: The development of reliable, sustainable, and economical sources of alternative fuels to petroleum is required to tackle the global energy crisis. One such alternative is microalgal biofuel, which is expected to play a key role in reducing the detrimental effects of global warming as microalgae absorb atmospheric CO2 via photosynthesis. Unfortunately, conventional analytical methods only provide population-averaged lipid amounts and fail to characterize a diverse po
Microfluidics News AdminApr 7, 20171 min[Soft Matter] Honey, I shrunk the bubbles: microfluidic vacuum shrinkage of lipid-stabilized microbuAbstract: We present a microfluidic technique that shrinks lipid-stabilized microbubbles from O(100) to O(1) μm in diameter – the size that is desirable in applications as ultrasound contrast agents. We achieve microbubble shrinkage by utilizing vacuum channels that are adjacent to the microfluidic flow channels to extract air from the microbubbles. We tune a single parameter, the vacuum pressure, to accurately control the final microbubble size. Finally, we demonstrate that
Microfluidics News AdminMar 24, 20171 min[Micromachines] An Automated Microfluidic System for the Generation of Droplet Interface Bilayer NetAbstract: Networks of droplets, in which aqueous compartments are separated by lipid bilayers, have shown great potential as a model for biological transmembrane communication. We present a microfluidic system which allows for on-demand generation of droplets that are hydrodynamically locked in a trapping structure. As a result, the system enables the formation of a network of four droplets connected via lipid bilayers and the positions of each droplet in the network can be c
Microfluidics News AdminMar 17, 20171 min[Biosensors and Biodetection] Functionalized Vesicles by Microfluidic DeviceAbstract: In recent years, lipid vesicles have become popular vehicles for the creation of biosensors. Vesicles can hold reaction components within a selective permeable membrane that provides an ideal environment for membrane protein biosensing elements. The lipid bilayer allows a protein to retain its native structure and function, and the membrane fluidity can allow for conformational changes and physiological interactions with target analytes. Here, we present two methods
Microfluidics News AdminMar 15, 20171 min[Thesis] Development of microfluidic technologies for the construction of Multi-Compartment VesiclesAbstract: In recent years there has been an increasing interest in using lipid vesicles and related membrane structures as (i) artificial cells that mimic biological processes and (ii) bio-inspired micro-machines that serve functional purposes. To date, vesicles have largely been single-compartment structures with homogenous interiors, which has impeded the fulfilment of these goals. This thesis details the development of technologies to address this. We develop droplet-based
Microfluidics News AdminMar 12, 20171 min[Bioresource Technology] Microfluidic perfusion bioreactor for optimization of microalgal lipid prodAbstract: Nutrient deprivation in a batch process induces microbes to produce secondary metabolites while drastically constraining cellular growth. A microfluidic continuous perfusion system was designed and tested to culture microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, under constant nutrient concentration slightly lower than normal condition. When cultured in 7.5%/7.5% of NH4+/PO42−, C. reinhardtii showed a 2.4-fold increase in TAG production with a 3.5-fold increase in biomass c
Microfluidics News AdminMar 4, 20171 min[Conference]Lipid bilayer at vertically aligned nanoliter droplets generated by two-layered microfluAbstract: We propose a microfluidic device for observable lipid bilayer formation between a pair of vertically aligned aqueous droplets. The device feature includes visibility of the bilayer and variable volume of the droplets, together with sub-microliter volumes of droplets and time-course observation. Referring the metering and storage modules that we recently reported, a pair of droplets was generated in symmetrical two-layered (top and bottom) channels; the droplets then
