LabAutomation 2006 - SLAS

MP53
Yiqi Luo
Stanford University
Palo Alto, California
rubenluo@stanford.edu
Where Laboratory Technologies Emerge and Merge
Co-Author(s)
Bo Huang
Michael P. Bokoch
Richard N. Zare
Stanford University
A Valve-Controlled Microfluidic System for Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis
Fabricated in Polydimethylsiloxane
Two-dimensional electrophoresis of proteins is achieved in 500 seconds in a microfluidic system fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane
(PDMS), in which the first dimension of micellar electrokinetic chromatography and the second dimension of capillary sieving electrophoresis
(CSE) are coupled. By installing valves at the intersection of two dimensions, the separations are performed sequentially without interference.
The size-distinguishing CSE is effectively applied in this PDMS device and achieves major resolution by forming an entangled polymer
network in the separation medium. To obtain efficient analysis, an array of second-dimensional channels is constructed orthogonally to the
first-dimensional channel for accomplishing parallel CSE. Therefore, the sample in the first dimension can be simultaneously transferred
into the second dimension rather than serially eluting the fractions of sample between two dimensions. The two-dimensional separation is
detected by laser-induced fluorescence imaging, which provides excellent sensitivity.
MP54
Manuela Maffè
Integrated Systems Engineering Srl
Milan, Italy
manuela.maffe@polimi.it
Co-Author(s)
Maurizio Falavigna
Integrated Systems Engineering Srl
Ida Biunno
Institute for Biomedical Technologies
Pasquale De Blasio
BioRep Srl
An Innovative Semi-Automatic Tissue MicroArrayer: Improved Functionality and
Higher Throughput
Tissue MicroArrays (TMA) technology initiated in the mid-1980s but began to be used only in 1997, when a relatively simpler device was
conceived. Nevertheless, the wide use of the TMA technology is hampered due to the tedious and the slow processing time for its daily
construction. However, an automated arrayer (Beecher Instruments, Sun Prairie, Wi., USA) was developed but is far too expensive for
bio-medical laboratories. For this reason we have designed a novel semi-automatic Tissue MicroArrayer, in which the movements of
the paraffin blocks are automated and computer controlled, while the punching remains manual. To help in the selection of the punch
areas, while arraying, a high resolution digital microscope camera is added to the instrument. Using a dedicated software the pre-marked
slide image can be superimposed to the live donor block image. Besides, the software gives the possibility to mark and save the punch
coordinates so that all the core positions can be saved and reached in a second time simply pressing a key.
In addition, an interactive database is integrated to the TMA template. Information about the donor block or related images can be
associated to each spot. It is also possible to mark failed spots. An instrument such as this will allow the construction of the TMA much
faster and more comfortable for the operator thus increasing the throughput. In addition, the database filling is crucial for the quality
assurance of the produced TMA; in fact, every spot is properly identified in every moment of the analysis.
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