An opto-fluidic architecture for image-based sorting of biological cells and particles

The present state of technology provides limited practical options for viably sorting and capturing biological cells based on visual information. This thesis presents a novel opto-fluidic architecture which enables potentially viable image-based cell sorting. The architecture combines a trivially-fabricated microfluidic device with a laser and simple support optics to create a platform which enables user-friendly, intuitive, image-based sorting of cells. The microfluidic device contains a microfabricated array of poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) wells which are used to passively array cells for visual inspection using any microscopy method (phase, fluorescence, etc.). After inspecting cells, the architecture allows capture of cells of interest by allowing exertion of radiation pressure onto a target cell via the integrated laser, levitating the cell from the well array, and into the flow-field of the microfluidic device for downstream collection and isolation. This thesis presents the design, fabrication, and testing of the platform, and presents a plan for integration of the system into a typical upright microscope.

Department dc:contributor.department

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

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Kovač, Joseph (Joseph R.)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Joel Voldman.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about 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/1721.1/41660

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/41660