Kamil Ekinci

Microfluidic Platform for Electrical Measurements on Biofilms

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The REU student will fabricate a PDMS-based microfluidic platform on which they will grow a biofilm. They will then conduct sensitive electrical measurements to determine the noise characteristics of bacterial ion fluctuations.

LABORATORY MENTOR
Cagatay Karakan

RESEARCH GOALS
Our research group has previously conducted electrical measurements to study the growth of <100 bacteria for use in antibacterial susceptibility testing. We also investigated the ion fluctuations of those bacteria based on their electrical noise spectrum. For biofilms, spatially propagating ion waves have already been detected optically by other research groups. We hope to expand on these findings by applying our electrical measurement technique to biofilms.

LEARNING GOALS
For the fabrication of their microfluidic platform, the student will learn the following skills:
– Creating CAD designs
– Molding microfluidic structures into PDMS
– Cleaning samples through sonication
– Plasma bonding
– Soldering
– Safely work with bacteria and how to create a biofilm
– Learn how to conduct the electrical measurements and how to properly analyze their data.

Learn more about Professor Ekinci on his faculty page.