Massively parallel microfluidics platform for storage and ultra-high-throughput screening

We have developed a novel microarray technology for performing very large numbers of biochemical, chemical and cell-based nanoliter volume synthesis, storage and screening operations in a massively parallel manner. The Living Chip is an array of precisely machined through-holes retaining nanoliters of fluid by capillary action. Sample loading, washing and recovery are operations that can be performed manually or with simple automation. Mixing between co- registered through-holes is achieved by stacking two or more precision aligned arrays and optical assay read-outs are in parallel with a CCD imaging system. An automated picker system transfers hits into lower density microtiter plates for further analysis. We will present result demonstrating massively parallel implementation of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous fluidic and cell-based assay systems and applications of the chip for drug compound library storage and management.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.