Automating microfluidic systems: towards autonomous cell-based experimental platforms

Microfluidic/Lab-on-a-Chip platforms are miniaturized experimental systems that enable researchers to carry out experiments in environments that are orders of magnitude smaller than those which typical laboratory equipment is capable of. These techniques have found a wide range of applications, from investigating stem cell differentiation mechanisms to enabling high-throughput transcriptomic and genomics at the single-cell level. Although some of such applications are already well established and robust, many other possible uses of this technology remain blocked due to the lack of integrability with automation strategies capable of handling operations autonomously. The aim of this project is to develop such strategies, with a specific focus on incorporating machine vision control on microfluidic systems and their integration within conventional laboratory equipment.