Ricerc@Sapienza

Migration of cells can be characterized by two prototypical types of motion: individual and collective migration. We propose a statistical inference approach designed to detect the presence of cell-cell interactions that give rise to collective behaviors in cell motility experiments. This inference method has been first successfully tested on synthetic motional data and then applied to two experiments.

An optoelectronic, integrated system-on-glass for on-chip detection of biomolecules is here presented. The system’s working principle is based on the interaction, detected by a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensor, between a monochromatic light travelling in a SU-8 polymer optical waveguide and the biological solution under analysis. Optical simulations of the waveguide coupling to the thin-film photodiode with a specific design were carried out.

A lab-on-chip system, integrating an all-glass microfluidics and on-chip optical detection, was developed and tested. The microfluidic network is etched in a glass substrate, which is then sealed with a glass cover by direct bonding. Thin film amorphous silicon photosensors have been fabricated on the sealed microfluidic substrate preventing the contamination of the micro-channels. The microfluidic network is then made accessible by opening inlets and outlets just prior to the use, ensuring the sterility of the device.

Lab-on-Chip are miniaturized systems able to perform biomolecular analysis in shorter time and with lower reagent consumption than a standard laboratory. Their miniaturization interferes with the multiple functions that the biochemical procedures require. In order to address this issue, our paper presents, for the first time, the integration on a single glass substrate of different thin film technologies in order to develop a multifunctional platform suitable for on-chip thermal treatments and on-chip detection of biomolecules.

This work presents analysis and development of an evanescent waveguide sensor system,
which integrates an amorphous silicon photodiode and a glass-diffused waveguide. Design of the
system includes a study of thickness and refractive index of the transparent electrode of the diode,
which are crucial parameters for the optimization of the optical coupling between the waveguide
and the photodetector. Preliminary electro-optical measurements on the fabricated device show

This work presents a miniaturized lab-on-chip system suitable for monitoring the activity of living cells through the on-chip detection of their bioluminescence emission. The system integrates amorphous silicon diodes, acting as temperature and light sensors, and indium tin oxide film, acting as heater, on a single glass substrate. During its operation, the glass is thermally and optically coupled to the investigated cells and electrically connected to an electronic board, which controls the lab-on-chip temperature and monitors the sensor photocurrents.

We have developed an EWOD system for lab-on-chip applications, comprising a new technology for EWOD implementation and the related electronic circuit driving. The new technology makes easier the integration of the EWOD technique with sensors and actuators usually present on lab-on-chip systems. It integrates an all-glass microfluidic network with an electrowetting structure, bonding together two glasses processed with microelectronics technologies.

This paper presents a lab-on-chip system suitable for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) to quantify the number of DNA copies in samples, taking advantage of the combination of thin film technologies on the same glass substrate. A thin film metal heater, deposited on one side of a glass substrate, provides the thermal energy for the DNA treatment, while amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photosensors, deposited on the other glass side, monitor the DNA amplification. Indeed, the glass is optically coupled with another glass hosting the microfluidic network, where the PCR occurs.

Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) is a versatile tool in lab-on-chip systems since it controls fluid shape and flow by electrical signals alone without using external pumps and related tube connections. The most versatile EWOD configuration (allowing transport, division and mixing of droplets) is the closed one, where the fluid handling occurs between two coupled glasses.

Here, we present a LoC device functionalized with an aptasensor material based on poly 2-(hydroxyethylmethacylate) (PHEMA) brushes, for monitoring the presence of the mycotoxin Ochratoxin A (OTA). OTA has been recognized toxic for different organs and its early detection in food commodities, by using this LoC in the production site, would reduce the risks for human and animal health. The aptamer, having high affinity versus OTA (OTA-aptamer), is immobilized into the PHEMA layer grown within a microfluidic channel.