University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Miniaturized silicon platform with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution for cortical neurochemical gradients studies

Shi, Weihua

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127362

Description

Title
Miniaturized silicon platform with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution for cortical neurochemical gradients studies
Author(s)
Shi, Weihua
Issue Date
2024-12-05
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Vlasov, Yurii A.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Vlasov, Yurii A.
Committee Member(s)
  • Sweedler, Jonathan V.
  • Gruev, Viktor
  • Zhao, Yang
Department of Study
Electrical & Computer Eng
Discipline
Electrical & Computer Engr
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
semiconductor techonology, microfabrication, MEMS, neuroscience
Abstract
Understanding the chemical communication within the nervous system is essential for understanding the function of different brain regions and how they communicate with each other. To grasp these chemical communications, a detection approach with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution is highly desired, while the disturbance to surrounding tissues should be minimal. In this dissertation, an integrated microfluidic platform based on silicon has been developed. Individual modules such as droplet generator, droplet printer, sampling probe, sampling area and microfluidic interfaces have been developed independently, and then integrated on-demand utilizing silicon microfabrication technology. This strategy also enables the plugin of more modules in the future for expanding application scenarios. The integration strategy will be discussed in Chapter 2. For high chemical and spatial resolution, droplet generator and printer are integrated into one device for individual droplet printing, so that they could be detected with a highly sensitive mass spectrometer. This device would be discussed in Chapter 3. For high spatial, chemical resolution with minimal tissue disturbance, the sampling probe is integrated with a miniaturized sampling area for targeted sampling. The sampled analyte is then detected with mass spectrometry for a sensitive, multiplexed detection. The data analysis reveals the concentration gradient, the flux and the local variance of 16 chemicals, demonstrating how the understanding of neurochemicals could be improved with the higher spatial resolution and less disturbance. The localized sampling and neurochemical analysis would be discussed in Chapter 4. And based on the platform’s current development and integration strategy, more functions can be achieved, more analytes could be detected, and all the spatial, chemical and temporal resolution could be addressed simultaneously. The outlook of the project will be covered in Chapter 5.
Graduation Semester
2024-12
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127362
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2024 Weihua Shi

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Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois