Florin Saitis, “Building Nanofluidic Devices Using 3D Printing”
Mentor: Ionel Popa, Physics
Poster #154

This project focused on using 3D printing technology to create fluid chambers with nanofluidic channels for single-molecule magnetic tweezers experiments. The project involved designing various channel configurations using computer-aided design (CAD) software, 3D printing negatives for the channels, utilizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to produce the top of the coverslips with specific channels, and assembling and testing the chambers. By implementing a new design for the fluid chambers, the project aimed to simplify magnetic tweezers experiments frequently conducted in the lab by enabling changes to the solution medium without having to stop the experiment. All methods used connectors and modules designed using OpenSCAD software and printed onto a glass slide or a 3D-printed base. The scaffolds were submerged in PDMS in a petri dish, and after curing, the PDMS was stripped off to form the master mold. Another approach looked at eliminating the often ineffective step of removing the mold. The Embedded SCAffold RemovinG Open Technology (ESCARGOT) method was used to create silicone fluidics using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene filament (ABS), which is dissolvable in acetone. Regardless of the method, a tube was attached to the openings of the channels, and the device was used as a step in the protein analysis of magnetic tweezer experiments, though the implemented design did not succeed. The continued research into how to create a standardized process for nanofluidic devices would further streamline healthcare by enabling the rapid fabrication of lab-on-chip diagnostic technology. Ultimately, using valves and pumps, a more specialized function can be created to analyze thousands of proteins in less than a day. The study of proteins and their complex 3D folding is essential as they are responsible for most cellular functions. By using nanofluidic devices, researchers can gain a better understanding of diseases and discover harmful mutations, ultimately contributing to the advancement of healthcare.