2026-09-20T23:32:01Z https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/127362 2026-02-03 col_2142_5131 col_2142_8888 com_2142_5130 com_2142_8887 com_2142_234

Miniaturized silicon platform with high spatial, temporal and chemical resolution for cortical neurochemical gradients studies Shi, Weihua 2024-12-05 Vlasov, Yurii A. Vlasov, Yurii A. Sweedler, Jonathan V. Gruev, Viktor Zhao, Yang Semiconductor Techonology Microfabrication Mems Neuroscience eng 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. 2024-12 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127362 Copyright 2024 Weihua Shi application/pdf en text Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2026-12-01 The student, Weihua Shi, accepted the attached license on 2024-12-05 at 10:17. The student, Weihua Shi, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2024-12-05 at 10:19. This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2024-12-05 at 12:58. DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21374 on 2025-03-28 at 14:43:22 Electrical & Computer Eng Electrical & Computer Engr University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ph.D. Dissertation