AWESOM

The present fundamental research and experimental development project is dedicated to the conception, realization and optimization of a hybrid lab-on-a-chip, coupling actuators and biosensors for the active control and broad range characterization of biofluids. The purpose of a lab-on-a-chip is to miniaturize and integrate macro-scale laboratory functions on a chip format. This scale reduction can lead to lower reagent volume consumption, massive parallelization of experiments and better process control. From an industrial perspective, this will entail substantial cost reduction, productivity increase, and reduction of the environmental impact. These advantages are very appealing for biomedical applications. From a scientific point of view, the design of a lab-on-a-chip dedicated to biofluids raises several fundamental and technological issues: - Some biosensors (like Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensors) are extremely sensitive to temperature variations. It is therefore necessary to manipulate biofluids within a very narrow temperature range. - A second issue is the precise, real time and adaptive control of biofluid samples. Rayleigh surface acoustic waves (R-SAW) are a versatile tool for displacement, atomization, and mixing of fluids either on the surface of a solid substrate or trapped in confined geometries. However, actuation via acoustic waves can lead to a substantial increase in temperature in the fluid, notably at high viscosity. Finally, the miniaturization and coupling of several biosensors like SPR, microcalorimeter and Love type SAW (L-SAW) biosensors on a chip coupled with R-SAW actuators requires further research. In this project, we will therefore: 1) Investigate thoroughly the physics involved in R-SAW actuators (especially the nonlinear acoustofluidic coupling) to propose efficient original ways of controlling precisely the displacement, mixing and atomization of biofluids with a limited temperature increase. 2) Develop a programmable electronic unit for real time monitoring, adaptive control and characterization of biofluids through the synthesis of suitable complex wavefields. 3) Design and optimize a unique platform allowing droplet manipulation and parallel measurement of a large number of biofluids properties (temperature, pressure, viscosity, binding kinetics, structural characteristics of biomolecules) through the integration and coupling of SPR, L-SAW and microcalorimetry sensors. This highly transverse scientific project, with high potential industrial application, will benefit from the synergy between experts in acoustics, microfluidics, electronics, micro- and nano-fabrication and biophysics. This unique consortium will allow the treatment of both fundamental and technological aspects of this subject. The team will also capitalize on the skills and state of the art technological facilities (clean room, characterization center) of the LN2 (UMI-CNRS 3463), and the Institutes involved in the project.