Building integrated cell-based microsystems : fabrication methodologies, metrology tools and impact on cellular physiology

This thesis presents the development of new tools for the realization and characterization of complex, integrated biological microsystems. These tools involve - (1) the implementation and characterization of a new material system for biological microsystems, and its application to the design of a single-bioparticle trap, (2) the creation of a lipid vesicle-based metrology tool for the characterization of dielectrophoresis-based microsystems, and (3) the construction of live-cell stress reporters for the characterization of electric-field effects on cell physiology in microsystems. Materials for biological microsystems have been dominated by the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the photopolymer SU-8 which form the core of soft lithography based fabrication. The design of highly integrated microsystems in which microfluidic conduits are coupled with electrical manipulation techniques, however, is difficult to realize with soft lithography. This thesis presents a new fabrication technique based on photopatternable silicones. I show that these photopatterned silicones are able to generate free-standing structures, exhibit low autofluorescence, enable alignment with pre-patterned substrates, and are biocompatible. These unique properties enable the generation of a new type of single-particle trap, which would be challenging to realize using traditional techniques. This new material system is now well poised to enable the design and construction of new biological microsystems that could not be previously realized. In addition to new material systems and fabrication technology, designing highly integrated cell-based biological microsystems requires the use of synthetic, cell-like particles.

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

2009

Author dc:creator

• Desai, Salil P. (Salil Pradip), 1978-

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/1721.1/53268

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/53268