Automated sample preparation using adaptive digital microfluidics for lab-on-chip devices
Date
2018
Authors
Grant, Nicholas, author
Chen, Thomas W., advisor
Chong, Edwin, committee member
Geiss, Brian, committee member
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Abstract
There have been many technological advances in the medical industry over the years giving doctors and researchers more information than ever before. Technology has allowed more sensitive and accurate sensors and has also driven the size of many sensor devices smaller while increasing sensitivity. However, while many aspects of technology have seen improvements, the sample preparation of biological tests has seen lagging development. The sample preparation stage is defined here as the extracting of required features from a given sample for the purpose of measurement. A simple example of this is the solid phase extraction of DNA from a blood sample to detect blood borne pathogens. While this process is common in laboratories, and has even been automated by large and expensive equipment, it is a difficult process to mimic in lab-on-chip (LoC) devices. Nucleic Acid isolation requires common bench top equipment such as pipettes, vortexers, and centrifuges. Current lab based methods also use relatively large amounts of reagents to perform the extraction adding to the cost of each test. There has been a lot of research improving sensing techniques proposed for Lab on Chip devices, but many sensing methods still require a sample preparation stage to extract desired features. Without a complimentary LoC sample preparation system, the diversity of LoC device remains limited. The results presented in this thesis demonstrate the general principle of digital microfluidic device and the use of such device in a small hand-held platform capable of performing many sample preparation tasks automatically, such as the extraction and isolation of DNA. Liquids are transported using a technique called Eletro-wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) and controlled via a programmable microprocessor. The programmable nature of the device allows it to be configured for a variety of tests for different industries. The device also requires a fraction of the liquids lab based methods use, which greatly reduces the cost per test. The results of this thesis show a promising step forward to more capable LoC devices.
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Subject
DNA isolation
lab on chip
point-of-care
electro-wetting on dielectric
digital microfluidics
microfluidics