Needs and Design

The Problem:

Droplet-based Microfluidics

Microfluidics is a microscale diagnostic platform. Screening for diseases such as cancer, malaria, and coronavirus have been developed on this platform.

 

 

The ‘front-end‘ microfluidics chip prepares the cell by breaking apart a sample into tiny ‘encapsulated’ bubbles. The ‘back-end‘ microfluidics chip has chemical reagents that detect the presence of desired molecules.

The transfer between chips is a problem for researchers. The typical method requires the user to manually transfer droplets from the front-end chip to the back-end chip, slowing down development and costing investors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Solution:

The CADMINNIES Platform

Our solution is a system which allows for one front-end chip to supply multiple back-end chips simultaneously. 

A chip-holder casing integrates all the components into a unified whole and fluid transfer is driven by pressure generated from syringe pumps. 

The front-end syringe pump pushes fluid through the front-end chip and into the Eppendorf tube, which collects the encapsulated droplets.

Closing the lid provides a seal for the back-end chips and lets the negative pressure of the back-end syringe pumps pull the fluid from the Eppendorf tube into and out of the back end chips.