On-chip detection of gel transition temperature using a novel micro-thermomechanical method

Localized Dielectric Loss Heating in Dielectrophoresis Devices

Temperature increases during dielectrophoresis (DEP) can affect the response of biological entities, and ignoring the effect can result in misleading analysis. The heating mechanism of a DEP device is typically considered to be the result of Joule heating and is overlooked without an appropriate analysis. Our experiment and analysis indicate that the heating mechanism is due to the dielectric loss (Debye relaxation). A temperature increase between interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) has been measured with an integrated micro temperature sensor between IDEs to be as high as 70 °C at 1.5 MHz with a 30 V_pp applied voltage to our ultra-low thermal mass DEP device. Analytical and numerical analysis of the power dissipation due to the dielectric loss are in good agreement with the experiment data.

Microscale direct measurement of localized photothermal heating in tissue-mimetic hydrogels

Photothermal hyperthermia is proven to be an effective diagnostic tool for cancer therapy. The efficacy of this method directly relies on understanding the localization of the photothermal effect in the targeted region. Realizing the safe and effective concentration of nano-particles and the irradiation intensity and time requires spatiotemporal temperature monitoring during and after laser irradiation. Due to uniformities of the nanoparticle distribution and the complexities of the microenvironment, a direct temperature measurement in micro-scale is crucial for achieving precise thermal dose control. In this study, a 50 nm thin film nickel resistive temperature sensor was fabricated on a 300 nm SiN membrane to directly measure the local temperature variations of a hydrogel-GNR mixture under laser exposure with 2 mK temperature resolution. The chip-scale approach developed here is an effective tool to investigate localization of photothermal heating for hyperthermia applications for in-vitro and ex-vivo models. Considering the connection between thermal properties, porosity and the matrix stiffness in hydrogels, we present our results using the interplay between matrix stiffness of the hydrogel and its thermal properties: the stiffer the hydrogel, the higher the thermal conductivity resulting in lower photothermal heating. We measured 8.1, 7.4, and 5.6 °C temperature changes (from the room temperature, 20 °C) in hydrogel models with stiffness levels corresponding to adipose (4 kPa), muscle (13 kPa) and osteoid (30 kPa) tissues respectively by exposing them to 2 W/cm² laser (808 nm) intensity for 150 seconds.

Caring for cells in microsystems: principles and practices of cell-safe device design and operation

Microfluidic device designers and users continually question whether cells are 'happy' in a given microsystem or whether they are perturbed by micro-scale technologies. This issue is normally brought up by engineers building platforms, or by external reviewers (academic or commercial) comparing multiple technological approaches to a problem. Microsystems can apply combinations of biophysical and biochemical stimuli that, although essential to device operation, may damage cells in complex ways. However, assays to assess the impact of microsystems upon cells have been challenging to conduct and have led to subjective interpretation and evaluation of cell stressors, hampering development and adoption of microsystems. To this end, we introduce a framework that defines cell health, describes how device stimuli may stress cells, and contrasts approaches to measure cell stress. Importantly, we provide practical guidelines regarding device design and operation to minimize cell stress, and recommend a minimal set of quantitative assays that will enable standardization in the assessment of cell health in diverse devices. We anticipate that as microsystem designers, reviewers, and end-users enforce such guidelines, we as a community can create a set of essential principles that will further the adoption of such technologies in clinical, translational and commercial applications.