Publications
Multi-Spectral Detection of Microfluidic Separation Products
The objectives of this project were to develop a new scientific tool for studies of chemical processes at the single molecule level, and to provide enhanced capabilities for multiplexed, ultrasensitive separations and immunoassays. We have combined microfluidic separation techniques with our newly developed technology for spectrally and temporally resolved detection of single molecules. The detection of individual molecules can reveal fluctuations in molecular conformations, which are obscured in ensemble measurements, and allows detailed studies of reaction kinetics such as ligand or antibody binding. Detection near the single molecule level also enables the use of correlation techniques to extract information, such as diffusion rates, from the fluorescence signal. The micro-fluidic technology offers unprecedented control of the chemical environment and flow conditions, and affords the unique opportunity to study biomolecules without immobilization. For analytical separations, the fluorescence lifetime and spectral resolution of the detection makes it possible to use multiple parameters for identification of separation products to improve the certainty of identification. We have successfully developed a system that can measure fluorescence spectra, lifetimes and diffusion constants of the components of mixtures separated in a microfluidic electrophoresis chip.