Automatic Compilation and Optimization for Programmable Lab on a Chip

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Current LoCs are assay-specific and are custom-built for each single experiment. Performing an experiment requires life scientists to endure the time-consuming process of designing, fabricating, and testing a chip before conducting the actual experiment. This prolonged cycle can take months to complete, increasing effort and cost and reducing productivity. Similarly, minor modifications to an assay protocol re-incur the overheads of the design cycle. Moreover, life scientists exploring new assay protocols require either intensive background knowledge in microfluidic technology and fabrication procedures, or need close collaboration with a microfluidic engineer, thereby hindering productivity. To relieve the life scientist from this aggravation, Microfluidic Innovations will develop a multi-purpose, programmable Lab-on-a-Chip (PLoC), where the life scientist will simply write or download a program for each experiment. This multi-purpose device and programmable platform eliminates the need for a new design for each assay, allowing the life scientist to focus more on assay design than chip design. Unlike existing commercial chips from competitor companies that provide either application-specific LoCs, batch processing LoCs, or limited, single-use chips, Microfluidic Innovations' devices expose the programming interface to the assay-writer, and provide the flexibility and versatility required to explore and develop new assays. Just as programmability and general-purpose computing have revolutionized the computer industry, Microfluidic Innovations' PLoC platform will provide a paradigm shift for the microfluidic LoC industry. The purpose of this project is to develop an automatic compiler and runtime infrastructure that would significantly ease the development of new assays in an easy-to-understand, high-level language, and would reduce barriers to the adoption of this new technology by life scientists. The compiler would automatically address issues such as fluid distribution and contamination, and a modular, scalable runtime system would automatically orchestrate the execution of instructions on different PLoC devices. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Microfluidic Innovations will develop a multi-purpose, programmable Lab-on-a-Chip (PLoC), where the life scientist will simply write or download a program for each experiment. This multi-purpose device and programmable platform eliminates the need for a new design for each assay, allowing the life scientist to focus more on assay design than chip design. This proposal aims to develop a full automatic compiler and optimization infrastructure that will make it easier for assay-writers to develop new protocols and reduce barriers to market adoption of PLoC devices.