NOVAsort for error-free droplet microfluidics

Abstract

Abstract High-throughput screening techniques are pivotal to unlocking the mysteries of biology. Yet, the promise of droplet microfluidics in enabling single-cell resolution, ultra-high-throughput screening remains largely unfulfilled. Droplet sorting errors caused by polydisperse droplet sizes that are often inevitable in multi-step assays have severely limited the effectiveness and utility of this technique, especially when screening large libraries. Even a relatively low 1% sorting error results in 10,000 false calls in a 1,000,000 droplet screen, imposing an unreasonably large burden on downstream validation. Here, we present NOVAsort (Next-generation Opto-Volume-based Accurate droplet sorter), a device capable of discerning droplets based on both size and fluorescence intensity. With a 1000- and 10,000-fold reduction in false positives and false negatives, respectively. NOVAsort addresses the challenges of conventional droplet sorting approaches and sets standards for accuracy and throughput in droplet microfluidic assays.