Microfluidic ChipShop Fluidic Interface Options
LabSmith instruction guideThis guide shows how to interface microfluidic ChipShop chips with various sizes of tubing and connectors. … Read more
Studying Microparticles on the ISS
LabSmith application noteA team from the University of Louisville will be using LabSmith uProcess microfluidic components and Microscopes to study microparticle suspension on the International Space Station (ISS). … Read more
Step-by-Step Microfluidics Education
LabSmith application noteLabSmith educational kit includes step-by-step instruction and support videos help students learn fluid routing, automation and scripting tasks. … Read more
Sensirion Flow Sensor Control with uProcess
LabSmith application noteThis note shows how to use LabSmith uProcess components and software with a Sensirion flow sensor to develop a continuous-flow system with constant, set pressure. … Read more
Degassing a Microfluidic System
LabSmith application noteDissolved gas and trapped air bubbles in a microfluidic system can affect repeatability and stability. Degassing a fluid system is easy using a LabSmith Breadboard Reservoir or Chip Reservoir. … Read more
uProcess Software: Adding a new Interface
LabSmith application noteA Video Tutorial showing how to connect your LabSmith EIB200 to the uProcess software. Watch Here … Read more
Particle-based molecular separation
A particle-based microfluidic molecular separation integrating surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing for purine derivatives analysisYi-Ying Wang, Ho-Wen Cheng, Kai-Wei Chang, Jessie Shiue, Juen-Kai Wang, Yuh-Lin Wang & Nien-Tsu Huang
A PMMS–SERS system enables sensitive analyte detection, with benefits for applications requiring bacteria identification and quantification. … Read more
LSPR sensor for multiplex inflammatory biomarker detection
Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor integrated automated microfluidic system for multiplex inflammatory biomarker detectionJhih-Siang Chen, Pin-Fan Chen, Hana Tzu-Han Lina and Nien-Tsu Huang
A localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor enables inflammatory biomarker detection, with benefits for immune status monitoring, and diagnosis of inflammatory diseases. … Read more
Approaches for microfluidics use by non-experts in clinical settings
Clinical translation of microfluidic sensor devices: focus on calibration and analytical robustnessby Sally A. N. Gowers, Michelle L. Rogers, Marsilea A. Booth, Chi L. Leong, Isabelle C. Samper, Tonghathai Phairatana, Sharon L. Jewell, Clemens Pahl, Anthony J. Strong and Martyn G. Boutelle
Approaches to facilitate the use of microfluidics by non-experts in clinical settings outside of the laboratory, to guide physicians in real-time clinical decision-making. … Read more
Gel Electrophoresis Temperature Regulation with the uProcess uEP01 Power Supply
Edison CummingsMaintaining constant temperature for gel electrophoresis applications provides several key benefits over the typical method of maintaining constant power. This application note shows how to use LabSmith’s uProcess™ microfluidic automation software and the uEP01 Electrophoresis Power Module to maintain constant temperature. Download the Application Note here. Download the sample uProcess automation script here. … Read more
Zero Dead-Volume Mixing with uProcess and Hummingbird Nano Chips
This application note describes how to set up a zero dead volume mixing process using LabSmith’s uProcess syringe pumps, valves, reservoirs and software, and Hummingbird Nano “X” style or “Y” style helical mixer chips. Download the Application Note here. Download the sample uProcess automation script here. … Read more
LabSmith Valves Help Trajan Develop Miniature Liquid Chromatography System
Trajan Scientific and MedicalTrajan Scientific and Medical has announced the development of a miniature liquid chromatography system for online reaction monitoring. Trajan’s MAST (Modular Analytical Separation Technology) relies on LabSmith’s AV201 3-port and AV801 9-port microfluidic selector valves, and AV303 6-port injector valves to help it meet the following design criteria: • design optimized for performance and low … Read more
How to Make Leak-Free, Zero Dead-Volume Microfluidic Connections
CapTite™ fluid routing components provide leak-free connectivity, even at high pressures, for fluid circuits with 360μm capillary, 1/32″ and 1/16″ tubing. This application note describes how to make reliable, tight connections using LabSmith’s CapTite™ microfluidic connectors. View the related video here. … Read more
Automated Multi-Fluid Injection Using an 8-Position Selector Valve
This application note shows you how to create a pressure-driven microfluidic injection for up to seven fluids using off-the-shelf components. LabSmith’s AV801 8-port selector valve, and LabSmith’s other uProcess valves, pumps, sensors and scripting software, make it easy assemble the microfluidic circuit and program the flows. Download the Application Note here. Download the sample uProcess … Read more
uProcess Thermal Control
Christine CummingsThe uProcess™ uTS temperature sensors, uTE thermal module, and the uProcess software make it easy to monitor and control your micro-process application. This note describes how to use the uProcess thermal devices, with examples and tips for getting the best results from your sensors and controllers, and detailed temperature regulation examples. For these examples the … Read more
Coordinating Control Between uProcess and External Devices
LabSmith’s uProcess series of automated valves, programmable syringe pumps, and pressure sensors allows complete control of microfluidic processes. The devices are controlled via uProcess software. LabVIEW drivers and an SDK for custom software development are also available. This application note describes how to coordinate control between uProcess devices and external devices, such as signaling an … Read more
Pressure Driven Flow with LabSmith uDevices
Christine Cummings and Kirsten Pace, LabSmith, Inc.This application note describes how to set up a microfluidic pressure-driven flow controller using uProcess syringe pumps, valves, and pressure sensors. Download the Application Note here. Download sample uProcess automation scripts here. … Read more
Introduction to uProcess and using the Script Wizard
Video tutorial on how to use the uProcess interface to control valves and syringes, and how to use the Script wizard and scripting tools to automate your uDevices. Watch Here … Read more
Application Spotlight: Portable MPLC using LabSmith’s uProcess Components
A research group led by Dr. Mirek Macka at University of Tasmania has published a journal article on their work using LabSmith’s uProcess components to develop portable medium pressure capillary liquid chromatography instrumentation. Yan Li, Miloš Dvořák, Pavel N. Nesterenko, Roger Stanley, Nantana Nuchtavorn, Lenka Kujovská Krčmová, Jana Aufartová, Mirek Macka. Miniaturised medium pressure capillary liquid … Read more
Lab-on-a-Chip Application: Microfab-less Microfluidics for a Portable Hybrid Microchip-Capillary Electrophoresis Device
Matthew T. Gordon and Carlos D. Garcia, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TXMicrofluidic devices, with their potential for portability and rapid analysis times, can bring cost-effective flexibility to modern analytical chemistry applications. However, the design and fabrication of microchips can involve trade-offs between cost, flexibility of configuration, and ideal surface properties or performance. To circumvent these drawbacks, we have developed a hybrid platform consisting of simple microfabricated … Read more
Applying Voltage to a Channel in a Microfluidic Chip
Platinum wire electrodes are commonly used to apply voltage to a fluidic channel. Although the approach is relatively simple, proper preparation of the electrode is very important to prevent field concentrations in the channels. Field concentrations can cause a multitude of problems, including bubble formation, cell lysing, localized heating, chemical reactions, and clogging of channels. … Read more
Lab-on-a-Chip Application: Circulating Tumor Cell Immuncapture Automation
Julia Wang, Erica D. Pratt, and Brian J. Kirby, Cornell UniversityThe manipulation of biological samples for diagnostic purposes requires reproducibility and simplicity to be useful in practice. As microfluidic devices transition towards use in medical diagnostics, traditional handheld syringe pumps can be too bulky and laborious for medical procedures that require quick turnaround times. Here, we discuss the evaluation of a portable breadboard platform that … Read more
Hydrodynamic Focusing using Integrated Modular Pumps, Valves, Connectors & Imaging
Yolanda Fintschenko and Kirsten Pace LabSmith, Inc.Hydrodynamic focusing capitalizes on the inherent advantages of the flow physics of a microfluidic system to overcome functional challenges encountered in microfluidic conditions such as mixing and the delivery of particles such as cells for counting. Hydrodynamic focusing requires reproducible flow rates, valving, and automated control of pumps and valves to direct the processes on … Read more
Field Amplified Sample Stacking (FASS) for Sample Concentration in a Nanochannel
Elizaveta Davies, Lesa Bishop, Adam Lucio, Jackson Travis del Bonis-O'Donnell, Sumita Pennathur, University of California, Santa Barbara; Yolanda Fintschenko, LabSmith, Inc.A ubiquitous problem in analytical chemistry is the push to increase signal-to-noise (S/N) and to lower the limits of detection (LOD) for many sample separation methods. Low S/N is typically due to the inherent low concentration of the sample in the system and the band-broadening of the sample in dead volumes of the analytical system. … Read more
Performing an Electrokinetic Gated Injection in a Nanochannel
Elizaveta Davies, Lesa Bishop, Adam Lucio, Travis del Bonis O'Donnell, Sumita Pennathur, University of California, Santa Barbara; Yolanda Fintschenko, LabSmith, Inc.The microfluidic chip platform offers an advantage for electrokinetic chemical separations by eliminating the dead volume normally encountered with tubing connections. In order to capitalize on this advantage, sample injections must be performed on chip. The gated injection loads a variable injection volume by controlling velocity and injection time. The gated injection controls plug size … Read more
Making a Pinched Microfluidic Injection with the LabSmith LabPackage-Making a Microfluidic Injection on a Chip
Yolanda Fintschenko and Kirsten Pace LabSmith, Inc.LabSmith’s LabPackage makes it easy to build, control and monitor simple and complex microfluidic manipulations. This experiment was designed to help you train your laboratory team and test competency on performing a pinched electrokinetic microfluidic injection techniques. It can also be used to test equipment, chips and reagents to ensure that they are working properly. … Read more
LabSmith Microparticle Image Velocimetry for Improving Dielectrophoretic Concentrator Using the LabSmith LabPackage
José I. Martinez-López, Hector Moncada-Hernández, Javier L. Baylon-Cardiel, Sergio O. Martinez-Chapa, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey NL, Mexico) Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas, CINVESTAV-Monterrey (Apodaca NL, Mexico), and Yolanda Fintschenko, LabSmith.Sample preparation is a bottleneck for protein, cell and nucleic acid analysis, regardless of the analytical technique used. An important, and tedious, preparation step is selective concentration of the target of interest, particularly when target abundance is low. One approach is insulator-based dielectrophoresis, or iDEP, in which insulators, often etched in glass or stamped in … Read more
Controlling On-Chip Gradient Elution Microchannel Electrochromatography Using the LabSmith HVS448
Michael W.L.Watson, Jared M. Mudrik and Aaron R. Wheeler, University of Toronto, and Yolanda Fintschenko, LabSmith.Separations of complex peptide mixtures can take too long to elute without the ability to apply a solvent gradient. One solution for applying a gradient is called Microchannel Electrochromatography, or MEC. In reversed phase MEC buffers with aqueous and organic components comprise the mobile phase of a separation through a solid and porous stationary phase … Read more
Laser Control with the LC880
Mike Zecchino, LabSmith, Inc.Many research experiments require the precise control of lasers. The LabSmith LC880 Programmable Experiment Controller handles all aspects of laser timing control, from simple pulsing to sequencing a 2-pulse experiment and beyond. In this application note, we will discuss how to implement a pulsed Nd:YAG laser control system using the LC880. We will expand the … Read more
Timing a Ballistics Experiment with the LC880
Mike Zecchino, LabSmith, Inc.Many experiments require several processes to coincide with an event of unknown timing. Photographing a projectile in flight, for example, requires accurate coordination of the camera, sensors and flash lamps to capture a projectile of unknown speed. In this study, we examine various ways to control experiments of this nature using the LabSmith LC880 Programmable … Read more
Timing a Two-Pulse Experiment with the LC880
Mike Zecchino, LabSmith, Inc.In the “Laser Control with the LC880” application note, we designed a laser control system using the LabSmith LC880 Programmable Logic Controller. In this application note, we’ll discuss two designs for a two-pulse experiment, in which two laser pulses illuminate a fluid to visualize its flow. … Read more
Isolation of prostate tumor initiating cells (TICs) through their dielectrophoretic signature
Alireza Salmanzadeh, Lina Romero, Hadi Shafiee, Roberto C. Gallo-Villanueva, Mark A. Stremler, Scott D. Cramer and Rafael V. DavalosSalmanzadeh, A.; Romero, L. Shafiee, H.; Gallo-Villanueva, R.C.; Stremler, M.A.; Cramer, S.D.; Davalos, R.D.; Isolation of prostate tumor initiating cells (TICs) through their dielectrophoretic signature. Lab Chip, 2012,12, 182-189. Abstract In this study, the dielectrophoretic response of prostate tumor initiating cells (TICs) was investigated in a microfluidic system utilizing contactless dielectrophoresis (cDEP). The dielectrophoretic response … Read more
Microfluidic Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis with In-situ Immunoblotting for Native Protein Analysis
He, M.; Herr, A.E.He, M.; Herr, A.E. “Microfluidic Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis with In-situ Immunoblotting for Native Protein Analysis.” Analytical Chemistry, 2009, 81, 8177-84. Abstract We introduce an automated immunoblotting method that reports protein electrophoretic mobility and identity in a single streamlined microfluidic assay. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was integrated with subsequent in situ immunoblotting. Integration of three … Read more
Prediction of trapping zones in an insulator-based dielectrophoretic device
Javier L. Baylon-Cardiel , Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas , Claudia Reyes-Betanzo , Ana V. Chávez-Santoscoy and Sergio O. Martínez-ChapaBaylon-Cardiel, J.L.; Lapizco-Encinas,B.L.;Reyes-Betanzo,C.; Chavez-Santoscoy,A.V.; Martınez-Chapa, S.O. Prediction of trapping zones in an insulator-based dielectrophoretic device Lab-on-a-Chip, 2009, 9, 2896–2901. Abstract A mathematical model is implemented to study the performance of an insulator-based dielectrophoretic device. The geometry of the device was captured in a computational model that solves Laplace equation within an array of cylindrical insulating … Read more
Gradient elution in micro channel electrochromatography
Watson, M.W.L.; Mudrik, J.M.;Wheeler,A.RWatson, M.W.L.; Mudrik, J.M.;Wheeler,A.R., Gradient elution in micro channel electrochromatography, Anal.Chem., 2009, 81, 3851-3857. Abstract There is great interest in using microfluidic channels packed with a stationary phase for chemical separations of complex mixtures. A key advantage of such techniques is the use of electroosmotic flow (EOF), controlled simply by applying electrical potentials between reservoirs. … Read more
Characterization of electrokinetic mobility of microparticles in order to improve dielectrophoretic concentration
José I. Martínez-López, Héctor Moncada-Hernández, Javier L. Baylon-Cardiel, Sergio O. Martínez-Chapa, Marco Rito-Palomares and Blanca H. Lapizco-EncinasMartínez-López , J.I. ; Moncada-Hernández, H.;. Baylon-Cardiel, J. L.; Martínez- Chapa, S. O.; Rito-Palomares, M. ; Lapizco-Encinas, B.H., Characterization of electrokinetic mobility of microparticles in order to improve dielectrophoretic concentration, Anal Bioanal. Chem. 2009,394, 293–302. Abstract Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP), an efficient technique with great potential for miniaturization, has been successfully applied for the manipulation of … Read more
Protein manipulation with insulator-based dielectrophoresis and direct current electric fields
Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas, Sandra Ozuna-Chacón, Marco Rito-PalomaresLapizco-Encinas, B.H.; Ozuna-Chaco´, S.; Rito-Palomares, M.; Protein manipulation with insulator-based dielectrophoresis and direct current electric fields, J.Chrom. A, 2008, 1206, 45–51. Abstract The present study demonstrates the manipulation of protein particles employing insulator-baseddielectrophoresis (iDEP) and directcurrent (d.c.) electricfields. Fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein particles were concentrated inside a microchannel that contained an array … Read more
Autonomous Microfluidic Sample Preparation System for Protein Profile-Based Detection of Aerosolized Bacterial Cells and Spores
Jeanne C. Stachowiak,† Erin E. Shugard, Bruce P. Mosier, Ronald F. Renzi, Pamela F. Caton, Scott M. Ferko, James L. Van de Vreugde, Daniel D. Yee, Brent L. Haroldsen, and Victoria A. VanderNootAbstract For domestic and military security, an autonomous system capable of continuously monitoring for airborne biothreat agents is necessary. At present, no system meets the requirements for size, speed, sensitivity, and selectivity to warn against and lead to the prevention of infection in field settings. We present a fully automated system for the detection … Read more