The BostonU Wetlab and Hardware iGEM teams participated in joint Wetlab safety and protocol training
The team performed an initial literature review in order to learn more about the types of microfluidic devices being design
The team was given a software overview/explanation of the three CIDAR lab microfluidic design tools: 3Duf, Fluigi, and Neptune
The team was given an overview/explanation of the CIDAR lab microfluidic design manufacturing process: Makerfluidics
June
From the literature review, each member chose one chip of interest to replicate and test
LAMP Chip[1]
3 iterations designed in Fluigi
5 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Multiplex Drug Testing Chip[2]
2 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
1 iteration designed in Fluigi
Magnetic Mixer Chip[3]
5 Iterations milled and tested
Magnetic particles introduced into chip
Experimented with different protocols
BostonU Wetlab iGEM Team Collaboration began
At the initial meeting BostonU Wetlab provided BostonU Hardware with a protocol they thought could be performed in a microfluidic device
6 potential chips designed for Wetlab collaboration
Submitted Microfluidics iGEM Poll to the iGEM collaborations page
Volume Dispensing Chips
3 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Alternative Tree Primitive Designs
Given repeat difficulties faced while using trees in designs, alternative designs were tested to determine if there was a better design
3 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Transformation Chip
6 Iterations designed in Fluigi
2 Iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Cell Sorting
1 iteration milled and tested
Magnetic particles run through chip
Attended Northeastern iGEM practice conference (NEGEM) at BU
Received feedback on iGEM narrative
Developed project ideas based off of feedback
MARS Repository begins to form after talking with researchers from CILSE’s Biological Design Center
July
Alternative Tree Primitive Designs
1 iteration designed in 3Duf and tested
1This design was markedly better at dispensing liquid equally, therefore it was used in later designs
Cell Lysis Chip
3 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Changes made to fix issues with fluid input and mixing
Initial draft of protocol written
Wetlab Collaboration Chip
4 iterations milled
Sealing issues improved upon
Testing done with shared liquid input
DNA Digestion Chip
4 iterations milled
Iterations made to better replicate protocol on a chip
Pipetting chamber designed and optimized for chip
BostonU Hardware visits BosLab during monthly showcase
Provided insight into what small scale biohacker space is like, and what synthetic biology community is looking for in microfluidics
Fluid Functionality begins to be developed
Idea of primitive level analysis developed along with some qualitative failures
Worked with Neptune (2016 BostonU Hardware Team) automated syringe pumps tried to increase accuracy and improve function
MARS Repository chips began to be placed in subsections of isolation, modification, and quantification
Transformation Chip
2 iterations designed in Fluigi
8 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Changes made to overall design as well as valve sizes
Summer Pathways
Participated in Summer Pathways alongside the BostonU Wetlab Team
Created an interactive microfluidics design activity for the attending high school students
Engaged with students to design microfluidic devices based on synbio protocols
Harvard iGEM Team Collaboration
Initial meetings to discuss plans
WPI iGEM Team Collaboration
During the initial Skype call we discussed the nature of their lead assay and how it might be moved onto a microfluidic
Their team visited our lab and performed verified their assay’s functionality on the BU spectrometer
Tutorial Videos
PDMS video filmed
Peristaltic Pump Chip[4]
Design inspired by another paper with different geometries
4 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Metering Primitive
In order to allow for accurate volume dispensing on a microfluidic device, a metering primitive inspired by the peristaltic pump was designed
2 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
August
Transformation Chip
13 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Different valve dimensions tested
Ligation Chip
2 iterations designed in 3Duf
Tutorial Videos
PDMS Video finalized
Milling Video recording and scripting completed
DNA Digestion
2 iterations milled and tested
Wetlab Collaboration Chip
1 iteration milled and tested
Cell Lysis Chip
Design finalized
Testing with magnetic particles in chamber
Cell Culturing[6]
Initial CAD model designed and tested
Spin coated PDMS
Second and final CAD model designed and tested
Wiki
Initial pages started to be constructed
Wiki architecture organized
Fluid Functionality
Quantitative tests begin to be developed
September
Transformation Chip
1 iteration designed in 3Duf and tested
Different valve dimension tested
Tutorial Videos
Milling video finalized
Assembly video filmed and scripted
Cleaning video filmed and audio recorded
Fluid Functionality
Channels quantitative tests finalized
Antibiotic Resistance[5]
Initial design developed
Wetlab Collaboration Chip
2 Iterations milled and tested
Protocol and design finalized
Chip tested by Wetlab
October
Transformation Chip
4 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Different metering scales tested
PCR Chip
4 iterations designed in 3Duf and tested
Cell Sorting
2 iterations milled and tested
Protocol finalized and documented
Ligation Chip
1 iteration designed in 3Duf
Video tutorials
Assembly video finalized
Cleaning video finalized
WPI iGEM Team Collaboration chip design documented finalized
Attended Northeastern iGEM practice conference #2 (NEGEM) at MIT
Received feedback on iGEM presentation
Incorporated feedback for final presentation
Fluid Functionality
Valve quantitative test finalized
Mixer quantitative test finalized
Antibiotic Resistance
Design finalized using 3Duf
Milled and documented
Harvard iGEM Collaboration
Validated Harvard optical density sensor
Citations
Tourlousse, D. M., Ahmad, F., Stedtfeld, R. D., Seyrig, G., Tiedje, J. M., & Hashsham, S. A. (2012). A polymer microfluidic chip for quantitative detection of multiple water- and foodborne pathogens using real-time fluorogenic loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Biomedical Microdevices, 14(4), 769–778. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-012-9658-3
Mohan, R., Mukherjee, A., Sevgen, S. E., Sanpitakseree, C., Lee, J., Schroeder, C. M., & Kenis, P. J. A. (2013). A multiplexed microfluidic platform for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 49, 118–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2013.04.046
Liang-Hsuan Lu, Kee Suk Ryu, & Chang Liu. (2002). A magnetic microstirrer and array for microfluidic mixing. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 11(5), 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1109/jmems.2002.802899
Nguyen, T. V., Duncan, P. N., Ahrar, S., & Hui, E. E. (2012). Semi-autonomous liquid handling via on-chip pneumatic digital logic. Lab on a Chip, 12(20), 3991. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2lc40466d
Hou, H. W., Bhagat, A. A. S., Lin Chong, A. G., Mao, P., Wei Tan, K. S., Han, J., & Lim, C. T. (2010). Deformability based cell margination—A simple microfluidic design for malaria-infected erythrocyte separation. Lab on a Chip, 10(19), 2605. https://doi.org/10.1039/c003873c
Lee KS, Boccazzi P, Sinskey AJ, Ram RJ. Microfluidic chemostat and turbidostat with flow rate, oxygen, and temperature control for dynamic continuous culture. Lab Chip. 2011;11(10):1730-9.https://doi.org/10.1039/c1lc20019d
