High-speed addressable magnetic microfluidic valving

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Microfluidic technology uses miniature fluidic channels built on a compact chip for fluidic and biomedical diagnostic and research applications. Bio-Rad Laboratories Canada is a global biotechnology company which designs and manufactures equipment and tools for studying biological specimens, with increasing interest on microfluidic systems. Microfluidic systems can be fabricated with many channels and functional elements on one chip for parallel operation. Such capability offers increased functionality and ease of use in a single operating device. One significant challenge in the control of such parallel microfluidic systems is in the independent control of fluid and cell flow through the device channels. Previous methods for addressable channel flow involve valves with multi-layer construction actuated by compressed air, magnetic fields or other means. While such schemes have demonstrated their effectiveness for sophisticated arrays of parallel channels, all existing designs require channels with complex multi-layer fabrication and a large number of physical connections from the chip to pneumatic and fluidic control inputs. The proposed continuing collaboration with Bio-Rad will solve this problem through the use addressable magnetic valve elements which require no physical connection. The project is a continuation of a successful NSERC Engage collaboration which proved the feasibility of the magnetic valve concept. The next stage of the project will result in a simple microfluidic chip which retains the high level of functionality shown in pneumatic parallel-channel control systems. Using magnetic addressing methods developed for microrobotic control, magnetic addressing of valves will be accomplished with simple magnetic coils nearby but not in contact with the microfluidic chip. This will result in a simple microfluidic chip design with potential for scaled production.