November 27, 2023 12:00 pm
November 27, 2023 1:15 pm
Advancing Biomolecular Detection with Microscale Fluid Manipulation Techniques
Peng Li
Associate Professor
West Virginia University
Obtaining both qualitative and quantitative information from target samples is crucial for numerous applications, such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnosis, food safety, forensics, and public safety. To address the present and anticipated challenges in these areas, there's an urgent need for novel analytical methods that offer enhanced sensitivity, specificity, scalability, and accessibility. In this talk, we'll present our latest work on innovative microscale fluid manipulation techniques aimed at advancing the detection and quantification of biomolecules. By harnessing the interactions between sharp-edge high-frequency vibrations and liquids, we've developed the Vibrating sharp-edge spray ionization (VSSI)—a versatile ionization source for mass spectrometry—and a compact droplet generator for multi-volume digital PCR. Additionally, through advancements in 3D channel design and surface modification, we have achieved scalable multiplex detection of protein and nucleic acid biomarkers without requiring robotics.