Summary:
UCLA researchers in the Department of Bioengineering have developed a novel device capable of performing automated liquid handling to a great degree of precision on a miniaturized scale and with customizable features equipped for any laboratory task.
Background:
Automated liquid handling is essential in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research for precise, efficient, and reproducible fluid transfer. Examples include tasks such as adding reagents and transferring samples in laboratories, conducting screenings and assays, and preparing samples for toxicity tests in drug discovery. Other applications span genomics—like DNA/RNA extraction, purification, and sequencing—as well as biological studies involving antibodies, cell culture, and protein expression. Traditional liquid handling via pipettes and dispensing devices have large margins of error and require manual, leading to operational inefficiency and unreliability. To resolve these issues, modern automated systems such as liquid handling robots have been created, however they are often bulky, limited in functionality, require manual input, and lack reliable control. Inconsistent results arise especially in cases of magnetic manipulation as these limited machines are not equipped to handle these cases. Therefore, there is a clear need in the state-of-the-art for a compact, reliable, and fully automated solution to improve efficiency and precision of liquid handling machines.
Innovation:
Professor Di Carlo and his team have created a cost-effective device that consolidates key liquid handling functions into a single miniaturized platform. It functions across a wide volume range—from microliters to several hundred microliters—using robust feedback control, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
The instrument design enables precise droplet partitioning, merging and bead separation, supporting a broad array of experimental techniques. These functions are additionally aided by a camera or optical sensor which allows for advanced imaging functions such as colorimetry, fluorescence, and optical density measurement to be made possible. Equipped with a user-friendly interface, precise control, and automated alignment, this system is poised to revolutionize the market standard for liquid handling devices, especially integral for growing markets such as drug discovery, disease identification, agricultural, biological experiments in cell structure, and forensic or bioengineering departments reliant on genomic extraction.
Potential Applications:
● Drug discovery and screening
● Clinical diagnostics and blood filtration
● Imaging and biosensing
● Magnetic droplet manipulation
● Biomolecule capture and electrofusion
● Automated serial dilution
● Multiplexed assay design
Advantages:
● Miniaturized and fully automated
● Customizable for specific laboratory tasks
● Precise fluid handling across diverse volume ranges
● Integrated feedback control for superior reliability
State of Development:
Successful demonstration completed 07/30/24.
Related Patents:
1. Digital ferrofluidic device and method for multiplexed assays and viral testing https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2024050485A2
2. Electronically-controlled digital ferrofluidic device and method for scalable and addressable bioanalytical operations https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220379309A1
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2025-094
Lead Inventor:
Dino Di Carlo, Professor, Department of Bioengineering