Continuous Optical Fractionation of Biological Materials

该奖项支持开发一种紧凑的集成系统，用于连续分离流体载体材料，如大分子，纳米团簇，胶体颗粒，细胞碎片和整个活细胞。该设备基于光学分离，这是最近发现的一种基于与光的不同相互作用的策略，以区分和分选异质样品（复杂混合物）中的特定颗粒亚群-例如，不同大小的细胞。该设备使用光阱阵列来选择性地将材料偏转到微流体通道中进行收集和处理。基本原理已在实验室规模上得到证实。 目前的拨款将支持（1）将该技术开发成一个更便宜，更紧凑的交钥匙系统，以及（2）开发用于光学分离不同类别生物材料的协议。 光学分馏仪器提供连续的样品分选和分离，具有前所未有的准确性，通用性，易用性和成本效益。因此，它应该在生物学研究中找到广泛的应用，从合成和天然生物分子的实验室纯化到细胞计数的新模式。 除了仪器的开发，该项目预计将提供生物物理学的两个博士论文和三个本科生荣誉论文的基础。

This award supports development of a compact, integrated system for continuous separation of fluid-borne materials such as macromolecules, nanoclusters, colloidal particles, cell fragments and entire living cells. The device is based on optical fractionation, a recently discovered strategy based on differing interactions with light to distinguish and sort specified subpopulations of particles - for example, cells of differing size - within heterogeneous samples (complex mixtures). The device uses arrays of optical traps to selectively deflect materials into microfluidic channels for collection and processing. The basic principle has been demonstrated on the laboratory scale. The current grant will support (1) development of the technology into a less expensive and more compact, turn-key system, and (2) development of protocols for optically fractionating different classes of biomaterials. The optical fractionation instrument offers continuous sample sorting and separation with an unprecedented combination of accuracy, generality, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Consequently, it should find widespread applications in biological research, ranging from laboratory purification of both synthetic and natural biomolecules to new modes of cell cytometry. In addition to development of the instrument, the project is expected to provide the basis for two doctoral theses and three undergraduate honors theses in biophysics.