Research Projects
Current projects include the study of disruption of homeostasis in the blood brain barrier due to alcohol, the chemotactic and galvanotactic movement of C. elegans worm and E. Coli, the development of a DNA fingerprinting on lab-on-a-chip device using surface dielectrophoresis and the development of a non-invasive sweet sensor for real-time physiological analysis.
Surface Dielectrophoresis (surfaceDEP) for DNA fingerprinting
 Fingerprinting using sDEP: (A)-(C) Translation of DNA on silicon surface (D) AFM showing DNA trapping on TiO2 photonic grating (E) DNA snapshots at different times and the intensity is plotted across distance. (F) DNA snapshot at 5 minutes shows multiple DNA peaks (fingerprinting). |
We are developing a novel approach for high-resolution DEP fractionation of surface adsorbed DNA on a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device. The LOC device is built using 3D printing and soft lithography techniques. The new technique theoretically offers significantly higher resolution than conventional gel electrophoresis techniques due to the fact that the mobility in this is AC induced Dielectrophoresis phenomenon, unlike in DC-based electrophoresis, which has a quadratic dependence on DNA size and the modulus of the electric field gradient. |
μTRANS-Micro Total-Analytical Neurological System
A new microfluidic lab-on-a-chip device called μTRANS, is developped to model and understand the behavior of the blood brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a unique barrier of the central nervous system (CNS). It hinders the passage of most compounds to the CNS and any compromise to the integrity of the BBB can lead to a development of neurological diseases. Typically the BBB is studied using a static membrane. We are doing in vitro study of the BBB using the µTRANS. The µTRANS has a Transwell® membrane, which will be seeded with human brain epithelial cells on the luminal (blood-side) of the membrane and astrocytes on the basal (brain-side) of the membrane. The unique construction of the chips allows for simultaneous optical and electro-chemical scrutiny of the dynamics of the BBB. Nanofluidics are designed to study the effect of the BBB under different overlapping mechanical and biochemical perturbations. Different tests are preformed, including optical imaging, trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), and permeability assays, in order to validate the working of the µTRANS and their key properties.
Cellular activities under microfluidics
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Cells response to external stimuli |
This project explores cellular level activities under various physiological conditions that can promote or disrupt cellular activity and growth. We present a simple microfluidic device consisting of a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel on a microscopic glass slide to create a controlled environment for studying the cell. The channel encapsulates a cell and bind the cell at a specific point in the channel. An emulsion is created so as to provide alternate and controlled environments for the cell. We are developing a water in water emulsion using an aqueous biphasic system. The process is monitored under a microscope for real–time analysis. nterdigitated electrodes are built on both top and bottom to stimulate and measure the cell behavior using electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy (EIS). |
Upcoming projects
- Sweat sensor for measuring analyte level in sweat
- Dielectric/Metal/Bio Interface spectroscopy and optics
For More information please contact Sagnik Basuray