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An Open-Source, Programmable Pneumatic Setup for Operation and Automated Control of Single- and Multi-Layer Microfluidic Devices

Kara Brower, Robert Puccinelli, Craig J. Markin, Tyler C. Shimko, Scott A. Longwell, Bianca Cruz, Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg, View ORCID ProfilePolly M. Fordyce
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/173468
Kara Brower
1Department of Bioengineering
4Chem-H Institute
5Stanford Microfluidic Foundry, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305.
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Robert Puccinelli
2Department of Genetics
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Craig J. Markin
3Department of Biochemistry
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Tyler C. Shimko
2Department of Genetics
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Scott A. Longwell
1Department of Bioengineering
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Bianca Cruz
6Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Pomona CA 91768
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Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg
7Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA 94158.
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Polly M. Fordyce
1Department of Bioengineering
2Department of Genetics
4Chem-H Institute
5Stanford Microfluidic Foundry, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305.
7Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA 94158.
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  • ORCID record for Polly M. Fordyce
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Abstract

Microfluidic technologies have been used across diverse disciplines (e.g. high-throughput biological measurement, fluid physics, laboratory fluid manipulation) but widespread adoption has been limited due to the lack of openly disseminated resources that enable non-specialist labs to make and operate their own devices. Here, we report the open-source build of a pneumatic setup capable of operating both single and multilayer (Quake-style) microfluidic devices with programmable scripting automation. This setup can operate both simple and complex devices with 48 device valve control inputs and 18 sample inputs, with modular design for easy expansion, at a fraction of the cost of similar commercial solutions. We present a detailed step-by-step guide to building the pneumatic instrumentation, as well as instructions for custom device operation using our software, Geppetto, through an easy-to-use GUI for live on-chip valve actuation and a scripting system for experiment automation. We show robust valve actuation with near real-time software feedback and demonstrate use of the setup for high-throughput biochemical measurements on-chip. This open-source setup will enable specialists and novices alike to run microfluidic devices easily in their own laboratories.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted August 13, 2017.
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An Open-Source, Programmable Pneumatic Setup for Operation and Automated Control of Single- and Multi-Layer Microfluidic Devices
Kara Brower, Robert Puccinelli, Craig J. Markin, Tyler C. Shimko, Scott A. Longwell, Bianca Cruz, Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg, Polly M. Fordyce
bioRxiv 173468; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/173468
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An Open-Source, Programmable Pneumatic Setup for Operation and Automated Control of Single- and Multi-Layer Microfluidic Devices
Kara Brower, Robert Puccinelli, Craig J. Markin, Tyler C. Shimko, Scott A. Longwell, Bianca Cruz, Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg, Polly M. Fordyce
bioRxiv 173468; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/173468

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