Alexander Bowler
Pronouns: He/Him
Research Mentor(s): Sasha Cai Lesher-Perez
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Chemical Engineering / Engineering
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 6 (3:40pm – 4:30pm)
Authors:
Abstract
A study was undertaken to design and create microfluidic devices with physically separated channels for electroporation. The Lesher-Perez Lab works on the construction and use of microfluidic devices for electroporation which allows for the transfer of biomolecules in solutions into cells through nanoscale holes in the cells’ membrane. The molds were designed utilizing CAD and 3D printed from resin. The molds were filled with PDMS creating the top and bottom layer of the devices. The bottom layer has multiple physically separated channels through which biomolecules can flow. The top layer of the device has a large channel which will be utilized as a cell chamber and covers all the lower channels. It is punctured to allow for access to the channels. Plasma bonding is used to fuse the top and bottom layer together and surround the nanoporous membrane. When the biomolecular solution is run through the device with the addition of electric currents, electroporation occurs allowing the movement of these biomolecules into the cells. We hope to utilize the physically separated channels to transfect different cell populations with different biomolecules while they remain in the same cell chamber. We wish to test this separation with plasmids or DNA that contain marking substances such as GFP to see if electroporation is occurring and to see the different expressions in each cell population. This will ultimately allow for the utilization of these electroporation devices for further experimentation and the ability for different cell populations to experience different biomolecules while in the same cell chamber will allow for the further study of cell population interactions.
