• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.245-249
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• 2008

This paper presents a microfluidic cell sizing method using hydrophoretic size-based separation. By exploiting slanted obstacles in a microchannel, we can generate a lateral pressure gradient so that microparticles can be deflected and arranged along lateral flows induced by the gradient. Using such movement of particles, we discriminated 8 to 15 μm-sized beads. We measured the size of U937 cells by comparing the hydrophoretic response of the cells to those of the size-standard beads whose diameters are known. Due to its simple design and fabrication, the sizing method can be easily integrated with other microfluidic components such as cell culture chambers conducting on-chip sizing and sorting.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1450-1454
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• 2008

In the conventional biology, the most of cell studies was carried out by culturing cells in the Petri dish and by investigating cellular behavior under the diverse bio-molecule (cell signalling materials, drugs or etc.) conditions. However, in vivo environments, diverse stimulations including chemical, mechanical and topological environments involved in the proliferation, differentiation and migration of cells and it is almost impossible to provide these conditions with traditional method. We have developed the methods to provide the well defined chemical and mechanical stimulations using microfluidic devices and applied these approaches to the study of environmental effect on cells. In this paper, we will introduce our microfluidic chips to provide microenvironment and its applications using several cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.705-712
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• 2011

Advances in the fields of proteomics and genomics have necessitated the development of high-throughput screening methods (HTS) for the systematic transformation of large amounts of biological/chemical data into an organized database of knowledge. Microfluidic systems are ideally suited for high-throughput biochemical experimentation since they offer high analytical throughput, consume minute quantities of expensive biological reagents, exhibit superior sensitivity and functionality compared to traditional micro-array techniques and can be integrated within complex experimental work flows. A range of basic biochemical and molecular biological operations have been transferred to chip-based microfluidic formats over the last decade, including gene sequencing, emulsion PCR, immunoassays, electrophoresis, cell-based assays, expression cloning and macromolecule blotting. In this review, we highlight some of the recent advances in the application of microfluidics to biochemistry and molecular biology.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.2688-2691
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• 2008

This study addresses a microfluidic method to uniformly form diacetylene (DA) liposomes and control their size. DA liposomes are biochemical sensor materials with a unique property such that when they are polymerized to polydiacetylene (PDA) they exhibit non-fluorescent blue to fluorescent red phase transition upon chemical or thermal stress. The liposome size and distribution are important because they significantly affect the phase transition. So far, DA Liposomes, have been prepared by mixing of bulk phases leading to heterogeneous, polydisperse distribution in size. Therefore, additional post-processes are required such as sonication or membrane extrusion to obtain an appropriate size of liposomes. Here, we report a novel strategy using a microfluidic chip and hydrodynamic focusing to form DA liposomes and control their size. Preliminary results obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that the microfluidic strategy generates more monodispersed liposomes than a bulk method.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.244-252
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• 2014

Purpose: The development of an efficient in vitro cell culture device to process various cells would represent a major milestone in biological science and engineering. However, the current conventional macro-scale in vitro cell culture platforms are limited in their capacity for detailed analysis and determination of cellular behavior in complex environments. This paper describes a microfluidic-based culture device that allows accurate control of parameters of physical cues such as pressure. Methods: A microfluidic device, as a model microbioreactor, was designed and fabricated to culture Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under various conditions of physical pressure stimulus. This device was compatible with live-cell imaging and allowed quantitative analysis of physical cue-induced behavior in yeast and microalgae. Results: A simple microfluidic-based in vitro cell culture device containing a cell culture channel and an air channel was developed to investigate physical pressure stress-induced behavior in yeasts and microalgae. The shapes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii could be controlled under compressive stress. The lipid production by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was significantly enhanced by compressive stress in the microfluidic device when compared to cells cultured without compressive stress. Conclusions: This microfluidic-based in vitro cell culture device can be used as a tool for quantitative analysis of cellular behavior under complex physical and chemical conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.521-525
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• 2014

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream of cancer patients provide an accessible source for detection, characterization, and monitoring of nonhematological cancers. The effectiveness of the CTC-Chip for the isolation of ovarian cancer cells was demonstrated by adapting the herringbone-chip (HB-Chip). The motions of the particles on the HB chip were simulated by a unique combination of buoyant, gravitational forces, and helical flows with a computational modeling. The motions of cells are demonstrated by applying polystylene bead and ovarian cancer cells into the microfabricated HB-Chip. The experimental results from beads and cells are well accordance with the simulated ones, as previously reported by Toner group. Thus, I expect that these modeling and experimental skills will play key roles in the clinical applications on CTC isolation as well as the basic research on characterization of CTCs under flow.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 2024

The SLA (Stereolithography Apparatus) method is a type of 3D printing technique predicated on the transformation of liquid photocurable resin into a solid form through UV laser exposure, and its application is increasing in various fields. In this study, we conducted research to enhance the hydrophobicity and transparency of SLA 3D printing surfaces for microfluidic system production. The enhancement of surface hydrophobicity in SLA outputs was attainable through the application of hydrophobic coating methods, but the coating durability under different conditions varied depending on the type of hydrophobic coating. Additionally, to simultaneously achieve the required transparency and hydrophobic properties for the fabrication of microfluidic systems, we applied hydrophobic coatings to the proposed transparency enhancement method from prior research and compared the changes in contact angles. Teflon coating was proposed as a suitable hydrophobic coating method for the fabrication of microfluidic systems, given its excellent transparency and high coating durability in various environmental conditions, in comparison to titanium dioxide coating. Finally, we produced an Electrophoresis of Charged Droplet (ECD) chip, one of the digital microfluidics systems, using SLA 3D printing with the proposed Teflon coating method (Fluoropel 800). Droplet manipulation was successfully demonstrated with the fabricated chip, confirming the potential application of SLA 3D printing technology in the production of microfluidic systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.189-190
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• 2010

Our results demonstrate the possibility of implementing a chip-cytometer for biological applications using high-sensitive spin-valve devices integrated with a microfluidic channel. Further studies will be extended to the real-time detection of animal cells coated with magnetic beads for the biological applications.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2004

Micro-fluidics is one of the major technologies used in developing micro-total analytical systems (${\mu}$-TAS), also known as “lab-on-a-chip”. With this technology, the analytical capabilities of room-size laboratories can be put on one small chip. In this paper, we will briefly introduce materials that can be used in micro-fluidic systems and a few modules (mixer, chamber, and sample prep. modules) for lab-on-a-chip to analyze biological samples. This is because a variety of fields have to be combined with micro-fluidic technologies in order to realize lab-on-a-chip.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.153-154
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• 2005