Abstract

Quantum Diagnostics: From Single Cells to Single Molecules

Dino Di Carlo, Armond and Elena Hairapetian Chair in Engineering and Medicine, Professor and Vice Chair of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles

The ultimate limits of sensitivity in measuring biological systems occurs at the level of single-cells and single-molecules. I will discuss our approaches leveraging microfluidic and microfabrication technologies to interface at the scale of these single entities. In particular, we make use of the ability to compartmentalize fluid volumes to a sub-nanoliter scale and manipulate cells using unique microscale physics. I will discuss progress in using these quantized or digital measurements towards single-molecule infectious disease diagnostics, characterizing the immune evasion state of circulating tumor cells, and screening for drugs that modulate the contractile forces that single muscle cells apply.