Dielectric characterization of biological nanoparticles using a dielectrophoretic slide

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An award is made to the University of Louisville to develop a microfluidic platform that can measure the electrical properties of biological nanoparticles (proteins, viruses, exosomes, etc.) by monitoring their response when stimulated by an electric field. This method also provides biologists with a new high-throughput tool of characterizing and concentrating molecules without chemically altering them. A student team of graduate and undergraduate students will design and build the system using microfabrication techniques while also undergoing entrepreneurial training through programs offered by the University of Louisville. In addition, high school students will contribute towards the project and will be recruited through the University of Louisville’s Signature Partnership with West Louisville Schools.The goal of this research project is to develop a specialized microfluidic platform to gain fundamental insight into the field-induced response of biological nanoparticles. The platform will enable the electrical characterization of nanoparticles and its measurements will aid in the affirmation of emerging theories about the electrokinetics of proteins and other molecules. Further, findings will enable the development advanced schemes to manipulate nanoscale biomaterials resulting in much faster and/or greater concentration of target species relative to current methods that are otherwise limited by diffusion-based transport.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.