Parallel Single Cell Electrophoresis in a Microchip Platform

Single cell analysis has typically been difficult and challenging to perform in such a way that meaningful statistical information can be extracted. This thesis documents the development of a microchip or lab-on-a-chip platform to perform single cell electrophoresis in parallel separation channels. It describes the use of optical tweezers to select a cell and transport it to a desired separation channel. It also describes the use of electromechanical shearing to lyse a cell. These two techniques are combined with laser-micromachined separation channels to perform simple electrohoresis on the fluorescently labeled cellular contents.

Nigel Munce is currently a research scientist and medical student at the University of Toronto in Canada. He is interested in both medical devices and the development of new medical imaging techniques.