Research:
Biological microsystems and biomaterials
Programmable biopolymer deposition
We have pioneered biopolymer electrodeposition as a vehicle for spatially and temporally programmable fabrication of biofunctional sites on surfaces and in microfluidic bioMEMS devices. An amine-rich polysaccharide, chitosan, can be selectively deposited to provide an effective platform for conjugation of proteins, nucleic acids, and cells for a variety of applications, including bioprocess reactions, metabolic engineering, and biosensing.
BioMEMS devices, process Integration, packaging, and control
We are developing bioMEMS designs to accommodate microfluidic networks, electrical activation at specific sites, and in-situ optical diagnostics through windows and integrated waveguide structures. Our emphasis is on designs which enable robust, leak-tight, re-usable bioMEMS devices together with packaging and system control technologies. One major goal is a bioMEMS design strategy which enables multi-site, multi-step biochemical reactions for investigating metabolic engineering pathways, with application to drug discovery. Another important goal is to capture and sustain cell metabolism for use in cell-based sensing. The microfluidics technology has implications for directed assembly of nanosystems as well.
Real-time and in-situ diagnostics
We are pursuing means for real-time, in-situ process monitoring in bioMEMS systems in order to expedite analyses of bioMEMS-based reaction sequences and for control of reaction systems. Primary emphasis is on optical techniques, including fluorescence and confocal imaging, microRaman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and optical reflectivity. Mass spectrometric approaches are also under consideration.
Selected Accomplishments
Spatially selective deposition and biofunctionalization of chitosanDNA conjugation and reversibility on chitosan surfaces
Enzyme conjugation and catalysis on chitosan surfaces
Microfluidics device integration and packaging for bioMEMS
Students
Xiaolong Luo (BIOE grad)
Susan Buckhout-White (MSE grad)
Dean Berlin (BIOE grad)
Jeff Gair (BIOE undergrad)
Collaborators
Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR/SSSC, UMCP)Gregory F. Payne (UMBI-CBR)
William Bentley (BIOE, UMCP; UMBI-CBR)
FCS group, ITC-irst, Trento, Italy
Support
Robert W. Deutsch FoundationNSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI)
CoSMIC NSF International Materials Institute
Laboratory for Physical Sciences
UMD-NSF MRSEC (seed)
Selected Publications
" Patterned Assembly of Genetically Modified Viral Nanotemplates via Nucleic Acid Hybridization ", Hyunmin Yi, Saira Nisar, Sang-Yup Lee, Michael A. Powers, William E. Bentley, Gregory F. Payne, Reza Ghodssi, Gary W. Rubloff, Michael T. Harris, and James N. Culver, Nano Letters 5 (10), 1931-36 (2005).
" A fabrication platform for electrically mediated optically active biofunctionalized sites in BioMEMS ", Michael A. Powers, Stephan T. Koev, Arne Schleunitz, Hyunmin Yi, Vildana Hodzic, William E. Bentley, Gregory F. Payne, Gary W. Rubloff, and Reza Ghodssi, Lab on a Chip 5, 583-586 (2005).
" Biofabrication with Chitosan ", Hyunmin Yi, Li-Qun Wu, William E. Bentley, Reza Ghodssi, Gary W. Rubloff, James N. Culver, and Gregory F. Payne, review paper, Biomacromolecules 6 (6) 2881-2894 (Nov/Dec 2005).
"Signal-Directed Sequential Assembly of Biomolecules onto Patterned Surfaces", Hyunmin Yi, Li-Qun Wu, Reza Ghodssi, Gary W. Rubloff, Gregory F. Payne, and William E. Bentley, Langmuir 21 (6) 2104-2107 (Mar 15 2005).
" Thermo-Biolithography: a Technique for Patterning Nucleic Acids and Proteins ", Rohan Fernandes, Hyunmin Yi , Li-Qun Wu, Gary W. Rubloff , Reza Ghodssi , William E. Bentley, and Gregory F. Payne, Langmuir 20 (3), 906-913 (2004).
" A Robust Technique for Assembly of Nucleic Acid Hybridization Chips Based on Electrochemically Templated Chitosan ", Hyunmin Yi , Li-Qun Wu, Reza Ghodssi, Gary W. Rubloff, Gregory F. Payne, and William E. Bentley, Anal. Chem. 76 (2), 365-372 (2004).
" Integrated Fabrication of Polymeric Devices for Biological Applications ", M. J. Kastantin, S. Li, A. P. Gadre, L-Q Wu, W. E. Bentley, G. F. Payne, G. W. Rubloff, and R. Ghodssi, Sensors and Materials (invited) 15 (6), 295-311 (2003).
" Nature-inspired Creation of Protein-Polysaccharide Conjugate and its Subsequent Assembly onto a Patterned Surface ", Tianhong Chen, David A. Small, Li-Qun Wu, Gary W. Rubloff , Reza Ghodssi , Rafael Vazquez-Duhalt, William E. Bentley, and Gregory F. Payne, Langmuir 19 (22), 9382-86 (2003).
" Voltage-Programmable Biofunctionality in MEMS Environments using Electrodeposition of a Reactive Polysaccharide ", Li-Qun Wu, Hyunmin Yi , Sheng Li, David A. Small, Jung Jin Park , Gary W. Rubloff , Reza Ghodssi , William E. Bentley, and Gregory F. Payne, Proc. IEEE Transducers 2003, 1871-1874 (2003).
" Electrochemically-Induced Deposition of a Polysaccharide Hydrogel onto a Patterned Surface ", Rohan Fernandes, Li-Qun Wu, Tianhong Chen, Hyunmin Yi , Gary W. Rubloff , Reza Ghodssi , William E. Bentley , and Gregory F. Payne, Langmuir 19 (10), 4058-4062 (2003).
" Spatially Selective Deposition of a Reactive Polysaccharide Layer onto a Patterned Template ", Li-Qun Wu, Hyunmin Yi , Sheng Li, Gary W. Rubloff , William E. Bentley, Reza Ghodssi , and Gregory F. Payne, Langmuir 19 (3), 519-524 (2003).
