Nanoscale separations
Microfluidics can be applicable to analytical operations on chip, such as SPE and chromatography, as they offer highly efficient separations and improved sensitivity, decreased sample and reagent consumptions, and reduced analysis time. Beads are normally incorporated as solid supports to further enhance the performance of microfluidic devices by improving the surface to volume ratio for biochemical reactions. Moreover, surface modification can also be easily carried out on these beads to add multiple functionalities to the device. Having solid supports within the systems will therefore enable solid phase extraction and chromatography to be performed on the chip. These advantages are especially important for rapid and accurate determination of clinically important drugs to monitor their levels for diseases treatment.
Magnetic particles have been much use in various fields of study including biomedical applications such as in targeted drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic cell separation, and biosensors. To develop a reproducible synthesis route for the preparation of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles of uniform size and distribution and to explore its potential in bio-related applications has been of our interests. The particles are coated with inorganic molecules, such as silica or gold, to help in binding to the various biological ligands at the particle surface. The functionalized magnetic particles are employed for various analytical applications.
Our aim is to develop new methodologies of performing extraction and separation in a lab-on-a-chip device for medical diagnostics. In particular, the use of magnetic particles as solid support is explored for novel applications. Due to their superparamagnetic properties that they can be externally controlled using permanent magnets, these particles can be employed as solid support for extraction and chromatographic sorbents. The synthesis of magnetic materials with different functionalities together with new approaches for performing extraction and separation is continually being investigated in our lab. Analyses are carried out in a simple prototype microfluidic device fabricated in-house while working towards miniaturization and integration of a total analysis system.
