An open-source, programmable pneumatic setup for operation and automated control of single- and multi-layer microfluidic devices
Kara Brower,
Robert R. Puccinelli,
Craig J. Markin,
Tyler C. Shimko,
Scott A. Longwell,
Bianca Cruz,
Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg,
Polly M. Fordyce
Affiliations
Kara Brower
Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Chem-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Stanford Microfluidic Foundry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Robert R. Puccinelli
Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Craig J. Markin
Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Tyler C. Shimko
Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Scott A. Longwell
Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Bianca Cruz
Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Pomona, CA 91768, United States
Rafael Gomez-Sjoberg
Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
Polly M. Fordyce
Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Chem-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Stanford Microfluidic Foundry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States; Corresponding author at: Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.
Microfluidic technologies have been used across diverse disciplines (e.g. high-throughput biological measurement, fluid physics, laboratory fluid manipulation) but widespread adoption has been limited in part due to the lack of openly disseminated resources that enable non-specialist labs to make and operate their own devices. Here, we report the open-source build of a pneumatic setup capable of operating both single and multilayer (Quake-style) microfluidic devices with programmable scripting automation. This setup can operate both simple and complex devices with 48 device valve control inputs and 18 sample inputs, with modular design for easy expansion, at a fraction of the cost of similar commercial solutions. We present a detailed step-by-step guide to building the pneumatic instrumentation, as well as instructions for custom device operation using our software, Geppetto, through an easy-to-use GUI for live on-chip valve actuation and a scripting system for experiment automation. We show robust valve actuation with near real-time software feedback and demonstrate use of the setup for high-throughput biochemical measurements on-chip. This open-source setup will enable specialists and novices alike to run microfluidic devices easily in their own laboratories. Keywords: Microfluidics, Pneumatics, Laboratory automation, Biochip, BioMEMs, Biohacking, Fluid handling, Micro total analysis systems (μTAS), Quake-style valves
