Welcome

People Research

Publications

Facilities

Links

 

 

 

<Back to Research Overview>

<Back to Aptamer Projects>

 

 

Rapid, integrated microfluidic selection of aptamers

 

For aptamer-functionalized microsystems to be practically viable, it is critical that aptamers be available for given targets. Aptamers are synthetically obtained by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Unfortunately conventional SELEX techniques are labor intensive and time consuming, which indeed is a major obstacle hindering the widespread use of aptamers. We envision that integration and miniaturization of MEMS technology can ideally address this void, and have initiated the development of a microfluidic system that integrates the entire SELEX process. By integrating solid-phase selection and bead-based amplification of oligonucleotides, the system will be capable of rapidly evolving aptamers for molecular or cellular targets. We anticipate that with a sample and reagent volume in the range of 0.1-1 µl, the entire SELEX process can be completed in about 10 hours (rather than typically a month as required by the current SELEX techniques).

Researchers:

Tim Olsen, Ph.D Student

Collaborators:

Dr. Milan Stojanovic (Columbia University Medical Center)