Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Microfluidics is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field that is impressive not only for the complex micro-structures that can be made, but also for the powerful microscopic studies that are enabled. The requested equipment is for establishing a micro-particle image velocimetry (PIV) system that will enable flow-velocity measurements in microfluidic devices. PIV is a benchmark technique for the accurate measurement of fluid velocities using lasers and high-speed cameras to obtain rapid-succession images of particles moving with the fluid. <br /> We propose to assemble a micro-PIV system by coupling a laser and high-resolution camera to an inverted fluorescent microscope in order to accurately characterize flow in microfluidic devices. In particular, we have successfully designed, built, and implemented microfluidic devices &ndash; uniquely compatible with both live-cell culture and real-time optical microscopy &ndash; while imposing controlled micro-environment changes in mechanical stimulation and oxygen perfusion. This includes studies of microfluidics design and fabrication effects, microvascular oxygen transport and ATP release, real-time cell-signaling dynamics following shear- or vibration-induced stimulation, and effects for microvasculature network geometry and layout. A particular challenge is accurately determining the forces experienced by the cells, particularly under high-frequency oscillations or rapidly fluctuating flow disturbances, where these represent scenarios highly relevant to various diseases. The proposed micro-PIV system will be capable of visualizing sub-micron particles with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to characterize the full spectrum of targeted flow stimuli in our microfluidic chambers, including high-frequency oscillations and turbulent flow.<br /> Microfluidics is a surging area of research and commercialization with impact spanning from automotives to molecular biology. Skills related to both PIV and microfluidics are highly marketable in industry because of the relevance to numerous areas, e.g. micro-channel injectors, bioreactors, and lab-on-a-chip technology. Microsystems are also becoming increasingly important as testing platforms for enabling new developments in the life sciences, and major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will be looking for engineers and life scientists with interdisciplinary skills related to microfluidic technologies, including fabrication, testing, and implementation.