CAREER: Lab-on-a-Chip Systems of Photopatternable Multifunctional Nanocomposite Materials for Cell Detection and Manipulation

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CAREER: Lab-on-a-Chip Systems of Photopatternable Multifunctional Nanocomposite Materials for Cell Detection and ManipulationThis award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to deliver nano-biomaterial solutions with both electrical and biochemical activations for investigating cellular responses at bio-nano interfaces. The approach is to develop photopatternable multifunctional nanocomposite materials and lab-on-a-chip techniques to interface and manipulate cellular objects. High-throughput single-cell capture-and-sense and hybrid electrical-and-biochemical gradient activations will be implemented by the enabling technology.Intellectual MeritThe proposed nanocomposite material will offer unique combinational features of photosensitivity, electrical conductivity, specific bio-affinity, and non-biofouling property in one micro-processable formula. Integrated with the lab-on-a-chip microfluidics, it provides a generic bioengineered platform to detect and manipulate the specific cells in an intricate biological environment. Further investigations on cellular responses to the unified bioelectrical and biochemical signaling will potentially lead to innovations of diagnosis and therapeutics in various pathological processes.Broader ImpactTechnical developments and biological discoveries from the research activities will be fully integrated with the proposed educational efforts. A series of dedicated educational workshops will be disseminated to nation-wide science teachers on ?bringing nano-bioengineering technologies into K-12 laboratories?, in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate program. Furthermore, an international outreach initiative with Asian and European universities will continue evolving under the program, including annual research symposium and summer collaborative projects.