Harmful algal bloom (HAB)-on-a-chip: Development of a microfluidic platform to study algal chemotaxis Kelly O’Quinn Dr. Adam Melvin Cain Department of Chemical Engineering Louisiana State University
Harmful Algal Blooms Overabundance of algae Problems Reproduction and Karenia brevis Problems Ecosystem Economy Health Reproduction and Migration http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/ http://naturalunseenhazards.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/washington-warns-of-paralytic-shellfish-poison-biotoxin-found-in-central-and-south-puget-sound-waters-lyme-disease-stories-presented-by-cdc-west-nile-virus-reports-from-ne-sc-tx-rabies-r/
Migration of Algae Phototaxis: upward migration toward light during day Chemotaxis: downward migration toward nutrients at night
Heterogeneous Environments Algae migrate in response to many factors Concentrations not constant throughout system
Developing a New Technology Microfluidic devices Precise control of fluids Laminar flow: diffusion-based mixing Dynamic control Past research Homogeneous tanks Other microfluidic devices http://www.rsc.org/ej/IB/2010/c0ib00055h/c0ib00055h-f1.gif
Design and Fabricate the Device Design in AutoCAD Soft lithography Master PDMS replication
Fabrication Spin coat photoresist onto wafer Place photomask onto wafer then UV expose then bake Cross-linked polymers stay and non cross- linked dissolve in solution
Device Assembly Layers Tubes Options for adhering layers PDMS Agarose Glass slide Tubes Options for adhering layers Silanes Thiol-ene resin Plexiglas box Negative pressure Shing-Yi Cheng, Steven Heilman, Max Wasserman, Shivaun Archer, Michael L. Shuler and Mingming Wu, “A hydrogel-based microfluidic device for the studies of directed cell migration,” Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 763-769
Characterize the Device Ensure stable, well-controlled gradients formed Fluorescent tracers ImageJ line scan COMSOL models
Implement the Device for Studying Algae Migration Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Unicellular, survives in many environments Load both channels Allow gradient to develop Load cells into center, flow-free channel
Gathering and Analyzing Results Chemotactic Index Vector assigning Design of Experiment (DOE) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
Future Applications Better understanding of algae migration Most prominent factors causing blooms Developing new technology Future collaborations with other labs