SBIR Phase II: Development of a Microfluidic Device for Rapid Analysis, Sorting, and Collection of Biological Particles Using Photonic Forces

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) that uses optical forces to move cells and to sort cell sub-populations. The specific Phase II objectives are : (1) to build an integrated prototype cell sorter with flexibility to configure multiple lasers and detectors, (2) to develop a self contained microfluidic cartridge that can handle 1,000-100,000 cells/sample and sort with purities greater than 95% and total recovery rates greater than 80%, (3) to develop microfluidic flow assays, and (4) to validate that the mechanical and optical stresses do not adversely affect cells. The proposed work will result in a prototype cell sorter, self-contained microfluidic cartridges, and a panel of assays that demonstrate the broad utility of the instrument. The commercial application of this project will be in the area of cell-based assays for use in biological and biomedical research.