Facilitating Miniaturized Bioanalytical Assays in Microfluidic Devices

Author: Zhukov, Dmitriy Vladimirovich

Year: 2020

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Ismagilov, Rustem F.

Committee Members: Tirrell, David A.; Ismagilov, Rustem F.; Guttman, Mitchell; Gao, Wei

Option: Chemical Engineering

DOI: 10.7907/x9wq-h920

Abstract

This work describes several efforts in making microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology more convenient to use for bioanalysis in limited-resource settings (Chapters 2-3), and describes a device for miniaturized multistep process execution (Chapter 4). One underlying theme of these projects is the streamlining of the 'chip-to-world' interfacing to help bring this technology from specialized labs of its developers into more widespread utilization by potential users in other disciplines. Chapter 2 outlines a portable method for achieving stable fluid pumping for sample loading and flow control in microfluidic devices. Chapter 3 details a method for digital nucleic acid test readout with unmodified smartphone cameras. Chapter 4 demonstrates a lab-on-a-chip platform capable of carrying out complex multiplexed biochemical reactions requiring multiple sequential additions of reagents by performing RNA barcoding for multiplexed cDNA library generation.

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