Microfluidic sample environments for small angle scattering

Orateur : Prof. Dr. Manfred RÖßLE (Luebeck University of Applied Science Moenkhofer Weg 239, 3562 Luebeck, Germany)

Small angle scattering as a method for investigation of unordered systems in soft condensed matter or structural biology, permits sample preparation in-line with data collection. In many cases, liquid handling robots in combination with valves and syringes deliver the most liquid or viscous sample towards the measuring cell. For instance, state of the art sample changers are used in structural biology for high throughput SAXS screening of different sample conditions and binding ligands. The modern high brilliance SAXS stations with its very small sample sizes allow downscaling of the sample vial to some nanoliters. Especially for screening techniques such small sample volumes are a necessity, because of the little sample consumption. However, the small sample vial needs special fabrication techniques and special fluidic handling such as microvalves or other microsystem elements. A very smart approach in microfluidics is the use of the centrifugal force for liquid delivering. In a rotating disk this radial directed force is used for volume metering, liquid transport, mixing and filling the sample vial. Such a lab-on-a-chip does not need any switching valves nor syringe pumps and liquid handling is facilitated in a very easy way. The possibility of in-line sample preparation for small angle scattering is further developed by a micro-scaled sample purification step on a microfluidic platform for structural biology applications. This approach is integrating little sample consumption with fast electrophoretic protein separation. The combination of sample preparation on micro- or milli-fluidic systems for in-line small angle scattering experiments has high potential for future applications in SAXS as well as in SANS.

Télécharger dans mon agenda