research

Mechanical and Chemical Micromanipulation

Automated Cell Manipulation_v9.mp4

Transport of individual cells or chemical payloads on a subcellular scale is an enabling tool for the study of cellular communication, cell migration, and other localized phenomena. Magnetically actuated robotic systems may be used for fully automated manipulation of cells and microbeads. The strategy above uses autofluorescent robotic transporters and fluorescently labeled microbeads to aid tracking and control in optically obstructed environments. I demonstrated automated delivery of microbeads infused with chemicals to specified positions on neurons. I coupled microrobotic micromanipulation with the ability to measure piconewton-scale forces technology for applications such as targeting therapeutic nanocarriers to specific tissues, as well as for the more general task of assessing binding affinity between proteins.

Soft Microrobotics

RAL2018_movie.mp4

At small scales the incorporation of soft, functional materials will be necessary for microrobots which interface with cells and tissues. New techniques for incorporating soft materials into microrobots are becoming enabled by emerging advanced manufacturing capabilities such as 3D printing and two-photon polymerization as well as advancements in materials science and chemistry. Applications include controlled drug delivery, targeted cell delivery, and transport of encapsulated biomanufacturing units.

Detection of Disease via Antibody Binding

Assessment of Protein Binding Using Magnetic Microrobots in Fluid.mp4

In this work, we measure picoscale forces with microscale magnetic robots, using antibody-coated microbead probes as an interface. We identify the presence of biomolecular interactions while also assessing interaction energies. The length scales of the microrobots are similar to the scale of individual biological cells, and the mechanical forces applied by the microrobots are of the same magnitude as the protein binding forces.

Micromanipulation using Bacteria as Configurable, Controllable Actuators (Micro-bio-robotics)

Bacteria may be used as controllable actuators using their natural tactic responses, that is, their tendency toward directed movement with response to stimuli. In the above figure, bacteria have been adhered to the surface of an SU-8 microstructure, which measures 50 microns on each side. By controlling the electric fields, the structure may be accurately positioned. This is actually a variation on the idea of galvanotaxis. The inherent charge of the bacteria is used to position the structure using electrophoresis. This concept is a new twist on energy harvesting using microbes.

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