SELECTBIO - Microfluidics & Organ-on-a-Chip Asia 2019 Biographies

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From Model Membranes to Single Cells: Microfluidic Approaches to Sensing and Diagnostics

Thursday, 14 November 2019 at 11:30

Add to Calendar ▼2019-11-14 11:30:002019-11-14 12:30:00Europe/LondonFrom Model Membranes to Single Cells: Microfluidic Approaches to Sensing and DiagnosticsMicrofluidics and Organ-on-a-Chip Asia 2019 in Tokyo, JapanTokyo, JapanSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com

This presentation will cover two aspects of our recent work. The first will look at a novel biosensor based on phospholipid-coated nematic liquid crystal (LC) droplets and demonstrate the detection of a model antimicrobial peptide (AMP). Monodisperse lipid-coated LC droplets were generated and trapped in a bespoke microfluidic structure and were treated with AMP. The disruption of the lipid monolayer by the AMP was detected at concentrations well within its biologically active range, and was indicated by a dramatic change in the appearance of the droplets associated with the liquid crystal transition from a typical radial configuration to a bipolar configuration. This suggests the system has feasibility as a drug-discovery screening tool and for toxin detection.

The second area of research to be described is on the investigation of cell deformability and its importance for diagnostic applications. In particular we use cell deformability in both shear-dominant and inertia-dominant microfluidic flow regimes to probe different aspects of the cell structure. In the inertial regime, we follow cellular response from (visco-)elastic through plastic deformation to cell structural failure and show a significant drop in cell viability for shear stresses >11.8 kN/m². Comparatively, a shear-dominant regime requires lower applied stresses to achieve higher cell strains. From this regime, deformation traces as a function of time contain a rich source of information including maximal strain, elastic modulus, and cell relaxation times and thus provide a number of markers for distinguishing cell types and potential disease progression. These results emphasize the benefit of multiple parameter determination for improving detection and will ultimately lead to improved accuracy for diagnosis.

Stephen Evans, Professor, University of Leeds

Graduated in Physics from Queen Mary College, University of London and obtained his Ph.D. on Langmuir Blodgett Superlattices of Porphyrins, at Lancaster University. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research at Imperial College, London. and was a Visiting Scientist at Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY USA. In 1991 he moved to the School of Physics and Astronomy, at the University of Leeds where became Professor of Molecular and Nanoscale Physics in 2002. Since 2000 he has held posts as Deputy Director of the multidisciplinary Centre for Self-Organising Molecular Systems (SOMS), the Nano Manufacturing Institute and has been the Chairman of the School of Physics & Astronomy. He currently heads the Molecular and Nanoscale Physics group and is the Scientific Research Director of the NIHR supported Centre for Surgical Technologies. His main research interests are in; i) the development of theranostic agents, ii) Model lipid membranes, iii) Approaches for single cell analysis.