What is Microfluidics?

Microfluidics is the study, design, and fabrication of devices that can handle and process fluids on the microlitre scale. Over the past few decades, this field has been responsible for many commonly used, and sometimes life-dependant, tools that people rely on: glucose sensors for diabetics, for example, is one of the plethora of handheld devices made available through microfluidics. The tiny volumes involved allow niche environments to be studied (e.g. in understanding stem cells), as well as permitting the development of high throughput screening devices (e.g. in drug discovery and development).

One of the major hurdles in microfluidics is the fact that fluids are very difficult to mix at small volumes as a result of low Reynolds numbers. However, several designs are available, which (to a greater or lesser degree!) work. The flip side of this is that diffusion is often the only method of mixing. This in itself can be very useful, particularly when investigating, for example, enzyme kinetics.

The scope and applications of microfluidics is truly immense and as time goes on, ever increasing amounts of investment is made, and with more start-up companies and takeover bids in play, it is clear microfluidics is an exciting and emerging scientific field.

Microfluidics Mixing

What are We Using Microfluidics for?

For our project, where we are designing a novel bioprocessing reaction using whole-cell biocatalysts to break down azo dyes, microfluidics presents us with a unique and extremely useful tool. When developing and optimising reaction designs, this can be performed with ease and with low reagent cost because all variables are scaled down to a micro-level. Importantly, the scale-down can be carried out without losing any of the accuracy or quantification of data output; this is due the number of sensors and control mechanisms which can be integrated into the microfluidic system.

We will use rapid polymer prototyping techniques to generate microfluidic chips that will allow us to test our reaction and aid in the construction of a realistic bioprocess, which can be successfully scaled-up for industrial use. As we optimise and change our bioprocess, we can also quickly design new microfluidic chips that can mimic its development on a micro-scale. For example, it is our goal to integrate multiple downstream steps, such as chromatography, in order to isolate potential useful products. Demonstrating this in a microfluidic system is far more time and cost effective than doing so at a larger scale.

Fluidics Chip

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Dave in the Lab

The iGEM competition aids the advancement of the new field of synthetic biology by building a community of students, research institutes and industries able to effectively apply biological technology to tackle global problems.