Employing Microfluidics in the Demonstration of Cell Encapsulation
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Employing Microfluidics in the Demonstration of Cell Encapsulation Rebekah R. Ravgiala, Ed.D. Merrimack High School, Merrimack, NH 03054 Presented at the Materials Research Society Conference Boston, MA November 30, 2004 I. Introduction Many states, including Massachusetts, have invested valuable time and energy to develop science education standards that incorporate concepts from the field of engineering. Most engineering standards are implemented in a more intensive manner at the high school level in order to encourage secondary science students to participate in the research and design process. Similarly, the Research Experience for Teachers program offered through Harvard University engages secondary science teachers in the engineering process by providing participants with real research experiences and opportunities to develop tools that can be used to demonstrate that research in a secondary science classroom. II. Description of RET Program Objective During the summer 2004, the opportunity to participate in the Research Experience for Teachers program at Harvard University enabled a secondary biology teacher to experience the field of microfluidics in an authentic research setting. In addition, the program encouraged the participant to design a device that could be used among students interested in participating in the research process and to engage students in real-world science techniques. The ultimate goal of this program was to develop a meaningful teaching tool that not only presents a connection between physics and biology, but also results in the formulation of a set of classroom modules that could be used to reproduce actual scientific strategies and data.
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Figure 1. Glass slide and glass capillary tube microfluidics device.
III. Description of RET Project Microfluidics is the science of manipulating tiny streams of gases or liquids in a miniaturized system of channels, pumps, or valves. The result of mixing two immiscible fluids together is the production of an emulsion. More specifically, microfluidics relies on the construction of a device that ensures the production of oil in water or water in oil drops that are uniform in size. In order to accomplish this objective, a hand-made glass microfluidics device was used during the summer experience and was modeled after a prototype designed by the graduate student mentor (see Figure 1). The device was a simple structure composed of two glass slides held together with Epoxy. Two glass capillary tubes were secured to the upper surface of the device such that one was inserted through the other to create a double layer of capillary tubes. The inner capillary tube was modified prior to the formation of the device with a tapered tip of approximately 25µm in diameter that would serve as the orifice for the formation of the drops. In addition, two plastic elbows were secured to the surface of the device. These elbows served as the attachment sites for plastic tubing that connected to two syringes filled with oil and water, respectively. The s
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