Microfluidic cap-to-dispense (μCD): a universal microfluidic-robotic interface for automated pipette-free high-precision liquid handling.

Journal: Lab on a chip
Published Date: Oct 9, 2019

Abstract

Microfluidic devices have been increasingly used for low-volume liquid handling operations. However, laboratory automation of such delicate devices has lagged behind due to the lack of world-to-chip (macro-to-micro) interfaces. In this paper, we have presented the first pipette-free robotic-microfluidic interface using a microfluidic-embedded container cap, referred to as a microfluidic cap-to-dispense (μCD), to achieve a seamless integration of liquid handling and robotic automation without any traditional pipetting steps. The μCD liquid handling platform offers a generic and modular way to connect the robotic device to standard liquid containers. It utilizes the high accuracy and high flexibility of the robotic system to recognize, capture and position; and then using microfluidic adaptive printing it can achieve high-precision on-demand volume distribution. With its modular connectivity, nanoliter processability, high adaptability, and multitask capacity, μCD shows great potential as a generic robotic-microfluidic interface for complete pipette-free liquid handling automation.

Authors

  • Jingjing Wang
    Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China; School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
  • Ka Deng
  • Chuqing Zhou
  • Zecong Fang
  • Conary Meyer
    Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
  • Kaustubh Umesh-Anjali Deshpande
  • Zhihao Li
    Heilongjiang University of CM, Harbin 150040, China.
  • Xianqiang Mi
  • Qian Luo
    Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Research Institute Silver Spring, MD, USA.
  • Bruce D Hammock
    Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • Cheemeng Tan
    Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. cmtan@ucdavis.edu.
  • Yan Chen
    Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
  • Tingrui Pan

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