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Microchip Dialysis of Protein Samples Using Laser-polymerized Nanoporous Membranes
Funding: DOE
Complex samples (e.g., cell extract) often require extensive cleanup or pretreatment before introduction to analysis channels in a miniaturized device. These pretreatment steps are often performed off-chip using large volumes of sample and other reagents, and hence often add substantially to the total analysis time and cost.

Dialysis, or size-based separation of species via selective diffusion through a semipermeable membrane, is a widely used technique for cleanup of biological samples. We have developed a technique for fabricating thin (4-14 micron) nanoporous polymer dialysis membranes within the channels of a glass microchip. UV laser-initiated polymerization is used for controlled placement of the dialysis membrane in a chip for cleanup of complex or dirty samples; this technique is rapid and inexpensive and increases the potential functionality of integrated microfluidic devices. The semipermeable membrane and fabrication technique can be used to control cell positioning and to extract a small molecular weight analyte of interest from a complex matrix, facilitating chemical analysis in general and cellular analysis in particular. Our work in this area includes development of patterned dialysis membranes patterned in-situ within microchips, their use for counterflow mass exchange, their use for protein concentration, and their use for positioning and lysing cells.

Publications and Presentations on Microchip Dialysis

Kondapalli SK, Connelly JT, Baeumner AJ, Kirby BJ
"On-chip electrophoretic concentration of liposomes for antibody-based viral biosensors", ", MicroTAS 2009, 1-5 Nov 2009, Jeju, Korea.

PDF version of Song, Mela, van den Berg, Kirby: Microfluidic architectures for integrated cell lysis, lysate dialysis and cell stimulus

Song S, Mela P, van den Berg A, Kirby BJ
"Microfluidic architectures for integrated cell lysis, lysate dialysis and cell stimulus," in MicroTAS 2004, Kluwer Academic Publishers (2004). pdf

PDF version of Song, Singh, Kirby: Electrophoretic concentration of proteins at laser-patterned porous membranes

Song S, Singh AK, Kirby BJ
"Electrophoretic Concentration of Proteins at Laser-Patterned Porous Membranes," Analytical Chemistry 76:4589-4592 (2004). doi pdf text

PDF version of Song, Singh, Shepodd, Kirby: Fabrication and characterization of photopatterned polymer membranes for protein concentration and dialysis in microchips

Song S, Singh AK, Shepodd TJ, Kirby BJ
"Fabrication and characterization of photopatterned polymer membranes for protein concentration and dialysis in microchips," in Hilton Head MEMS Workshop 2004 (2004). pdf

PDF version of Song, Singh, Shepodd, Kirby: Microchip dialysis of proteins using in situ photopatterned nanoporous polymer membranes

Song S, Singh AK, Shepodd TJ, Kirby BJ
"Microchip dialysis of proteins using in situ photopatterned nanoporous polymer membranes", Analytical Chemistry 76:2367-2373 (2004). doi pdf text

PDF version of Song, Shepodd, Singh, Kirby: Microchip-based dialysis of protein samples using photopatterned nanoporous membranes

Song S, Shepodd TJ, Singh AK, Kirby BJ
"Microchip-based dialysis of protein samples using photopatterned nanoporous membranes," in MicroTAS 2003, Kluwer Academic Publishers (2003). pdf

PDF versino of Fintschenko, Kirby, Hasselbrink, Singh, Shepodd: Monolithic materials: miniature and microchip technologies

Fintschenko Y, Kirby BJ, Hasselbrink, Jr. EF, Singh AK, Shepodd TJ
"Monolithic Materials: Miniature and Microchip Technologies," in Monolithic Materials: Preparation, Properties, and Applications Elsevier, Amsterdam (2003). pdf

PDF version of Kirby, Singh: In-situ fabrication of dialysis membranes in glass microchannels using laser-induced phase-separation polymerization

Kirby BJ, Singh AK
"In-situ Fabrication of Dialysis Membranes in Glass Microchannels Using Laser-induced Phase-separation Polymerization," in MicroTAS 2002, Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 742-744 (2002). pdf

A microdevice for virus detection in environmental water, incorporating laser-patterned membranes.
Counterflow mass exchange microchip demonstrating desalting of a protein sample. Fluorescently-labeled protein (yellow; lactalbumin) mixed with low-molecular-weight dye is injected at top right and exits at top left. A counterflow of water is injected at lower left and exits at lower right. The dye (red; used as a visible marker to represent salt) is extracted, as can be seen by the red signal that grows from left to right. The image is a composite of several images; this membrane has an actual aspect ratio of approximately 200:1.