Microfluidic Technologies

微流控技术

• 批准号: CRC-2021-00057
• 负责人: Ren, Carolyn
• 金额: $ 14.57万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Canada Research Chairs
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=759884
• 关键词: Microfluidic; Technologies

Microfluidic devices, which are used in a variety of high-precision biological science applications and assistive technologies, exploit fluids and their properties at the microscale, enabling miniaturized platforms that offer lower cost, faster pace, higher performance, and more portable options than traditional technologies. The proposed Canada Research Chair in Microfluidic Technologies will advance breakthroughs in two sub-fields of the discipline, droplet microfluidics (DM, Theme I) and air microfluidics (AM, Theme II), offering transformative impacts on distinct application areas. Theme I research will deliver the first modular DM platform, a true enabler for non-expert users such as biologists, chemists and material scientists to confidently assemble customized systems for specific applications. Bridging fundamental studies with applied innovation, novel optical and electrical methods for droplet identification will be developed and new knowledge on droplet and system dynamic behaviour will be advanced. Integrated within a plug-and-play assembly, functional modules will drive progress in drug discovery, disease diagnosis and new materials synthesis applications. Theme 2 will deliver similarly transformative impacts in soft robotic wearable assistive technologies, an emerging field supporting rehabilitation from movement disorders including stroke, spinal injury, and limb amputation. Compact, light, and efficient pneumatic technologies provide intermittent compression by pressurizing soft balloon actuators (air pocket that can be inflated and deflated by controlling the air flow to them) close to the body, providing customized therapy for recovery. Where current systems have functional trade-offs between effectiveness and wearability, AM will design soft actuators controlled with a channel network and on-chip valves to advance affordable, effective, truly wearable soft robotic assistive systems. Both themes of research will involve end-users (e.g. biochemists and material scientists for Theme I and physicians, limb amputees, prosthesis designers for Theme II) throughout development to ensure the proposed research programs will not only advance fundamental knowledge, but also address practical problems facing the field. Ultimately, the program aims to improve the lives of Canadians whether through affordable medicine, early disease diagnosis, or wearable systems for stay-home therapeutic treatment.

微流控设备用于各种高精度生物科学应用和辅助技术，在微观尺度上利用流体及其特性，使小型化平台能够提供比传统技术更低的成本、更快的速度、更高的性能和更便携的选择。拟议的加拿大微流体技术研究主席将推动该学科两个子领域的突破，即液滴微流体（DM，主题 I）和空气微流体（AM，主题 II），为不同的应用领域带来变革性影响。主题 I 研究将提供第一个模块化 DM 平台，这是生物学家、化学家和材料科学家等非专家用户真正的推动者，可以自信地为特定应用组装定制系统。将基础研究与应用创新联系起来，将开发用于液滴识别的新型光学和电学方法，并推进有关液滴和系统动态行为的新知识。功能模块集成在即插即用组件中，将推动药物发现、疾病诊断和新材料合成应用的进步。主题 2 将为软机器人可穿戴辅助技术带来类似的变革性影响，这是一个支持中风、脊柱损伤和截肢等运动障碍康复的新兴领域。紧凑、轻便、高效的气动技术通过对靠近身体的软气球致动器（可以通过控制流向其的气流进行充气和放气的气穴）加压来提供间歇性压缩，从而提供定制的康复治疗。当前系统在有效性和耐磨性之间进行功能权衡，增材制造将设计由通道网络和片上阀门控制的软执行器，以推进经济实惠、有效、真正可穿戴的软机器人辅助系统。 这两个研究主题都将在整个开发过程中涉及最终用户（例如主题 I 的生物化学家和材料科学家，主题 II 的医生、截肢者、假肢设计师），以确保拟议的研究计划不仅能够推进基础知识，而且能够解决实际问题面向田野。最终，该计划旨在通过负担得起的药物、早期疾病诊断或用于居家治疗的可穿戴系统来改善加拿大人的生活。