UC Davis

In the past decades, a variety of accurate and reliable analytical technologies have been developed for the quantitative measurements of target analytes (e.g., proteins, metabolites, nucleic acids, unnatured drugs) in biological samples. Nowadays, the new era of personalized medicine and healthcare intelligence is further promoting the development of analytical technologies, especially calling for the replacement of traditional manual analysis with automated and high-throughput machine operations. The emerging field of microfluidics offers a potential solution to miniaturizing and automating traditional analytical methods, where frequently repeated liquid handling operations (e.g., metering, mixing, extraction) can be programmed and processed on a microfluidic device. However, laboratory automation of these delicate devices is hampered by a lack of world-to-chip interfaces and the complexity of external infrastructure settings. In this dissertation, we introduced a universal robotic-fluidic interface (RoMI) and modular microfluidic design for fully automated microfluidics in biomedical applications. Our research projects include: 1) establishing and validating the RoMI platform through a droplet dispensing module; 2) developing a multiplexed strategy for protein network studies in vitro using the RoMI platform and a customized droplet dispensing module; 3) developing a human-free sample-to-answer ELISA system using the RoMI platform and a hybrid microfluidic module. With its modular connectivity, high adaptability, and multitasking capacity, RoMI can be used to drive a variety of microfluidic modules in a simply programmable manner with minimal external infrastructure requirements. Overall, the newly developed RoMI has displayed significant promise in promoting the usability and flexibility of microfluidic technology in biomedical analyses, allowing for new opportunities and insights in the next generations of laboratory automation.