Plµs Lab - Research

Dielectrophoresis refers to the motion of uncharged particles in a non-uniform electric field. We hypothesize that by applying a high-frequency (10's of MHz) we will be able to sort microalgae on the basis of lipid content. We are currently gathering preliminary data that will prove our hypothesis. Funded by a 2012 Oak Ridge Associated Universities Ralph Powe Junior Faculty Award.

Microalgae technology continues to show tremendous promise for becoming a major source of renewable transportation fuel in the coming decades. However, for microalgae to provide a significant fraction of the current US demand for fuel will require their cultivation on an enormous scale. Among the many formidable challenges that will need to be met in achieving this scale will be the development of appropriate sensor networks to provide information about growth conditions and the algae themselves. We have currently built a wireless network that measures pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This network has been tested at the NASA OMEGA facitlities in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, CA. In the future we plan on exploring novel sensors. Funded by the Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium.

There are over 40,000 species of microalgae (not to mentions the mutants of these species) of which only a few hundred have been studied for biofuel production. We are developing tools that can help accelerate this research. Currently we are exploring microfluidic devices that can culture algae faster than current techniques. Funded by the Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium.

While the rise of soft-lithographical techniques has lowered the barrier to entry into microfluidics, the photolithographical steps still represent a hurdle for many researchers. We have developed a technique for fabricating molds suitable for casting PDMS based microfluidic devices using equipment readily available to most microfluidic researchers, namely an epi-fluorescent microscope. By focusing the UV light emitted from the Hg lamp, we have demonstrated the ability to direct-write photoresist features that are appropriate for a wide variety of microfluidic devices. A major advantage of this technique is its low-cost, both in terms of capital investment and on-going expenditures. Furthermore, by using a motorized stage, we can quickly fabricate a design on demand, eliminating the need, cost, and time required for a photomask. We have demonstrated this technique using dry-film resist, due to its low-cost, ease of application and less stringent safety protocols. Funded by a UNR General Undergraduate Research Award.