Microfluidic Device for a Nanofabrication Apparatus

This project has been secured to protect intellectual property.

To design a microfluidic device that improves the efficiency of collagen recovery after the scaffold fabrication setup.

Project Overview

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women, and early diagnosis is essential as the disease becomes harder to treat in later stages. The Campagnola Lab studies how different ECM structures enable ovarian cancer growth with the intent of developing rapid and early diagnostic tests to better detect ovarian cancer. The current process of studying different ECM patterns lacks automation, requires precision, and results in large quantities of protein going to waste. Recently, the Microfluidics Menaces group has developed a microfluidic system that automates the flow of collagen into the scaffold chamber, can be heated to enable smoother flow, is detachable for easy placement in the scaffold fabrication apparatus, and uses LabVIEW for future integration into the scaffold fabrication system. The group seeks to automate heating by substituting the hot plates used in the prior semester with a portable heating element and a heat control circuit. Additionally, the team aims to maximize the reuse of proteins from the chamber by reducing leakage from the microfluidic chip and replacing the present pumps with more reliable pumps.

Team Picture

Contact Information

Team Members

Shai Biener - Team Leader
Myrna Chang - Communicator
Ty Bigger - BSAC
Ethan Mendenhall - BWIG
Lauren Fiedor - BPAG

Advisor and Client

Prof. Walter Block - Advisor
Prof. Paul Campagnola - Client

BME Design Projects
Better Health by Design