University:
Boston University
Course:
CAS PY 541 | Statistical Mechanics I
Academic year:

2022
Views:

463

Pages:

1
Author:

Patricia West

Microfluidic Pump Optimizes Sample Transport In Integrated Bioreactor Bitome uses their benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer to provide automat-ed analysis of liquid cell media from any bioreactor. As bioprocess research and manufacturing grows, there is a growing need for metabolomic analysis that is quick, low-cost and minimizes loss of product. The company’s miniaturized NMR spectrometer currently requires manual sam-ple delivery and further streamlined integration between bioreactors and their product is desired. Automation of sample delivery, integration bioreactor and NMR components would allow for high-er data throughput. Our group produced an automated, in-line, pressure-driven sample transport system enabling control and monitoring of bioprocessing parameters. Our novel application of a pressure-driven pump to integrate Bitome’s bench-top NMR with a bioreactor allows for consistent microfluidic sample mixing and filtering prior to NMR analysis leading to higher fidelity metabolite analysis. For large-scale data analysis of this kind to be successful, it is essential to optimize the components of sample handling and processing as best as possible. Our team employed in-line pressure sensors with our pump to monitor sample transport flow rate. The use of these sensors, along with optical flow rate monitoring fed to an Arduino microprocessor providing proportional-in-tegral-derivative (PID) control, ensures consistent flow of cell broth through the pump, filters, and mixers. Closed-loop transport ultimately returns the sample back to the bioreactor for continued culture growth, minimizing product loss.

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