Miniaturized silicon platform with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution for cortical neurochemical gradients studies

Understanding the chemical communication within the nervous system is essential for understanding the function of different brain regions and how they communicate with each other. To grasp these chemical communications, a detection approach with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution is highly desired, while the disturbance to surrounding tissues should be minimal. In this dissertation, an integrated microfluidic platform based on silicon has been developed. Individual modules such as droplet generator, droplet printer, sampling probe, sampling area and microfluidic interfaces have been developed independently, and then integrated on-demand utilizing silicon microfabrication technology. This strategy also enables the plugin of more modules in the future for expanding application scenarios. The integration strategy will be discussed in Chapter 2. For high chemical and spatial resolution, droplet generator and printer are integrated into one device for individual droplet printing, so that they could be detected with a highly sensitive mass spectrometer. This device would be discussed in Chapter 3. For high spatial, chemical resolution with minimal tissue disturbance, the sampling probe is integrated with a miniaturized sampling area for targeted sampling. The sampled analyte is then detected with mass spectrometry for a sensitive, multiplexed detection. The data analysis reveals the concentration gradient, the flux and the local variance of 16 chemicals, demonstrating how the understanding of neurochemicals could be improved with the higher spatial resolution and less disturbance. The localized sampling and neurochemical analysis would be discussed in Chapter 4. And based on the platform’s current development and integration strategy, more functions can be achieved, more analytes could be detected, and all the spatial, chemical and temporal resolution could be addressed simultaneously. The outlook of the project will be covered in Chapter 5.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Shi, Weihua

Contributors dc:contributor

• Vlasov, Yurii A.
• Sweedler, Jonathan V.
• Gruev, Viktor
• Zhao, Yang

• Semiconductor Techonology
• Microfabrication
• Mems
• Neuroscience

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Weihua Shi

Language dc:language

eng, en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127362

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/127362