A new and efficient droplet collection method for droplet-based microfluidic systems

基于液滴的微流体已经成为一种能够产生数千或数百万微微升和纳米升的液滴的方法，这些液滴可以容纳各种生物成分。它一直被用来探测单个细胞和了解细胞群体之间的异质性。然而，这项技术最大的挑战之一是，在设备对液滴进行分类后，能否有效地提取和分离液滴。非常小的体积和缺乏控制给用户从设备中获取液滴带来了挑战。在这项提案中，康科迪亚大学的施正荣实验室与洛桑EPFL的Merten实验室联手设计了一个自动化系统，通过将数字微流体集成到液滴微流体系统中，提供按需液滴控制，从而准确收集包含已分选单细胞的指定数量的液滴。我们相信，按需液滴收集技术在涉及单细胞分析的许多领域具有巨大的潜力，特别是涉及不可容忍损失的贵重或敏感细胞的应用。

Droplet-based microfludiics has become a method to be able to generate thousands or millions of tiny pico- and nano-liter droplets that can hold a variety of biological constituents. It is continuously being used for probing single cells and understanding the heterogeneity between cell populations. However, one of the biggest challenges with this technology is to be able to extract and to isolate droplets efficiently after they have been sorted by the device. The very tiny volumes and the lack of control presents challenges for the user to obtain the droplet from the device. In this proposal, the Shih lab from Concordia University is joining forces with the Merten lab at EPFL Lausanne to design an automated system for accurate collection of defined number of droplets containing sorted single cells by integrating digital microfluidics to the droplet microfluidic system to provide on-demand droplet control. We believe the on-demand droplet collection technique has great potential to be used in many areas involving single-cell analysis, especially applications involving precious or sensitive cells where losses cannot be tolerated.