MRI: Acquisition of 3-D Micromanufacturing Instruments for Bioengineering Research at Drexel University

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0923173NohThe goal of this project is to improve the quality and expand the scope of bioengineering research and training at Drexel University by providing shared 3-D micromanufacturing instrumentation. This proposal seeks the acquisition of two complementary 3-D micromanufacturing instruments: a micro stereolithography system and an excimer laser ablation system. Micro stereolithography is an additive 3-D printing technique that can build complex microstructures via a layer-by-layer curing process while excimer laser ablation is a subtractive laser machining technique that can be used for non-planar structures made of various materials such as plastics, glass, metals, ceramics, and semiconductors.Intellectual MeritsTissue engineering research necessitates the capability of building diverse scaffolds with complex 3-D geometries. Biosensors and lab-on-a-chip systems require multi-layer 3-D architecture to effectively integrate and package multiple components. Neuroscience and surgical engineering are in need of multi-functional neural probes and tools that utilize precisely defined 3-D micro-structures. The conventional microfabrication techniques such as photolithography and soft lithography are useful but they are limited to 2-D fabrication and cannot produce complex 3-D structures that are often necessary in bioengineering research activities. The lack of versatile 3-D micromanufacturing tools has hampered many bioengineering research projects at Drexel University. The requested 3-D micromanufacturing instruments will address this need and greatly improve the quality and expand the scope of bioengineering research and training activities, particularly in the areas of bioreactors, in vitro tissue modeling, tissue engineering, biosensors, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, biomechanics, biophysics,neuroscience, and surgical engineering.Broader ImpactsCombined with the existing 2-D microfabrication facility, the requested 3-D micromanufacturing instrumentation will provide a powerful and unique microscale manufacturing infrastructure for numerous research activities at Drexel University and in the Greater Philadelphia area. It is anticipated that at least 10 faculty members and 20 graduate students and post-doctoral researchers from 5 departments will become active users of the requested instruments. This shared instrumentation will contribute to improving our ability to recruit and retain outstanding faculty and graduate students (including minority and women) and will increase research funding from both government agencies and the private sector. The requested instruments will also be used in existing and new courses and current outreach programs, providing undergraduate and graduate students, high school teachers and students opportunities to work with state-of-the-art 3-D micromanufacturing instruments.