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Micro- & Nanofluidics - MIGRATION
& DYNAMICS OF BIOMOLECULES
Contact: Dr. Jan Regtmeier |
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In this research project we investigate and
develop new physical (size dependent) migration mechanisms of
macromolecules and colloidal particles (e.g. also far from thermoddynamic
equilibrium) in structured micro- and nanofluidic environments,
which can be used for molecular separation and sorting in integrated
chip devices. |
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Images: Parallelized and structured microchip
platform, separation of large genome fragments, absolute negative
mobility |
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Project 1 |
Separation of Large Genome Fragments in
Free-Solution with on-chip Electrophoresis |
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The introduction of periodically structured
microchannels causes an interaction between long, chain-like
biopolymers like DNA and its microstructured environment. This
leads to a size-dependent molecular mobility under electrophoretic,
free solution separation conditions and can be applied to an
efficient separation of large genome fragments in a microchip
device. Our remarkably short separation times of 3-6 sec are
superior to typical separation times of 20 min from standard
capillary electrophoresis. This migration phenomenon was analysed
and optimised by an ab initio molecular dynamics simulation
in the theoretical soft matter group. |
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Publications: [see section "Publications"] |
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Collaboration: R. Eichhorn, F. Schmid, and
P. Reimann, Dept. of Theoretical Soft Matter, Bielefeld University |
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Project 2 |
Absolute Negative Mobility – A New
Migration Mechanism |
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By driving a molecular system (molecule or
colloid) in a periodically structured microenvironment away
from its thermodynamic equilibrium, new and unexpected physical
migration mechanisms can occur. An external periodic electric
field of slight asymmetry can give rise to negative mobility
effects, a phenomenon describing a net movement against the
time-averaged force, and which can be used potentially in future
separation and sorting microchip devices. This phenomenon, which
is due to a subtle interplay of periodic external driving force
and stochastic, undirected Brownian motion, was theoretically
predicted and recently (for the first time) experimentally verified
in our laboratories [84]. |
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Publications: [see section "Publications"] |
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Collaboration: R. Eichhorn and P. Reimann,
Dept. of Theoretical Soft Matter, Bielefeld University |
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other ongoing projects [...] |
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We acknowledge funding from DFG within
SFB 613 (Germany) |
