Multi-frequency characterization of single cells through CM factors and dielectrophoresis

This thesis explores the use of dielectrophoresis to discern the electrical properties of single cells by observing them at multiple frequencies. We first simulate experimental conditions to show that as we increase the number of measured frequencies, we are able to better discriminate among different cells. Furthermore, we use the simulation to find the optimal number and value of frequencies to use to best discriminate among different cells in general in a large range of frequencies and a smaller, experimentally feasible, range of frequencies. We then fabricate a microfluidic device to measure balance positions of cells and calibrate it with polystyrene beads. We utilize BA/F3 cells to define balance position equilibration when shifting from one frequency to the next within this device. Finally, we find balance positions for three different activation levels of HL60 cells treated with Cytochalasin D using the optimal frequency sequence obtained in simulation to determine the differences in discrimination abilities depending on the number of frequencies used. We quantify the discrimination abilities of the optimal one, two, and three frequencies by minimizing 0-1 loss.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Jaffe, Alex T

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Joel Voldman.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119756

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/119756