Publications

Digital microfluidic hub for automated nucleic acid sample preparation

Kim, Hanyoup; Bartsch, Michael B.; Renzi, Ronald F.; Pezzola, Genevieve L.; Remillard, Erin M.; Kittlaus, Eric A.; He, Jim H.; Patel, Kamlesh D.

We have designed, fabricated, and characterized a digital microfluidic (DMF) platform to function as a central hub for interfacing multiple lab-on-a-chip sample processing modules towards automating the preparation of clinically-derived DNA samples for ultrahigh throughput sequencing (UHTS). The platform enables plug-and-play installation of a two-plate DMF device with consistent spacing, offers flexible connectivity for transferring samples between modules, and uses an intuitive programmable interface to control droplet/electrode actuations. Additionally, the hub platform uses transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrodes to allow complete top and bottom optical access to the droplets on the DMF array, providing additional flexibility for various detection schemes.