An optofluidic platform based on liquid-gradient refractive index microlens for the isolation and quantification of extracellular vesicles

Informazioni relative al progetto

MNSWLGM

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 791144

DOI

10.3030/791144

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 11 Dicembre 2018

Data di avvio 1 Agosto 2019

Data di completamento 31 Luglio 2021

Finanziato da

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Costo totale

€ 187 419,60

Contributo UE

€ 187 419,60

Coordinato da

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Switzerland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MNSWLGM (An optofluidic platform based on liquid-gradient refractive index microlens for the isolation and quantification of extracellular vesicles)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2019-08-01 al 2021-07-31

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) describe distinct populations of small (30-200 nm) and large (500 nm-2 μm) microvesicles actively or passively secrected by cells. Whilst, they are recognized as promising biomarkers for diseases diagnosis, prognosis and therapy, their purification, selective enrichment, and characterization remains immersely chanllenging. The overall objective of the current project is to develop an optofluidic plarform able to manipulate and characterize single EVs and facilitate their efficient purification and quantitation from biological sample. This platform can be applied to a wide range of biological matrices and addresses the most challenging technological bottleneck in EVs research.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

We have designed localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) based optofluidic chips for isolating nanoparticles, and the comprehensive finite-element method (FEM) simulation of stochastic Brownian motions of nanoobjects were presented with a model based on the low-profile microfluidic system. Their size-dependent optical forces and hydrodynamic forces in different hydrodynamic velocity fields were carefully tuned for isolating different nanoparticles.
We have constructed LSPR based optofluidic chip for isolating nanoparticles, and confirmed that the local plasmonic near-field is more effective to trap and separate the dielectric polystyrene beads smaller than 200 nm.
We have used viscoelastic microfluidics to separate 3 µm, 1 µm&500 nm and 100 nm particles from a mixture of particle flow with a high purity (>85%), and also separate extracellular vesicles (EVs) from a blood sample by optimizing this platform. The microfluidic flow cytometer combined with stroboscopic microscopy allowed for the analysis of EVs in real time.
We have published one core academic paper based on plasmonic near-field enhancement entitled “Plasmonic gold nanojets fabricated by a femtosecond laser irradiation”, and intended to publish other papers: high-throughput nanoparticle imaging and plasmofluidic-based near-field optical trappingof nanoparticles. We have also attended some conferences and meetings online including: Scholars International Conference on Frontiers in Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Scholars Webinar on: The Role of New Technologies Drug Discovery, Development and Lead Optimization.
No website has been developped for the project.

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

The proposed project focuses on the design of optofluidics for flow cytometry applications, and will be directly extended to the study of other optofluidic device and hence has a wide applicability. Our near-field optofluidic trapping technique provides insights into the dynamic trapping behavior of nanoobjects within an optofluidic system, which will empower the functionalities of the next-generation optofluidics sensors. The developed viscoelastic separation of EVs will be helpful in the study of their pathogenic roles and their potential use as biomarkers for early detection of cancers.
The integration of an active optical interface within a microfluidic platform ensures a reduced instrumental footprint. The increased functionality of this integrated platform will significantly improve disease diagnosis and human health.

EVs inside blood and urine