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Technologies & Patents

Microfabrication

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PP Chip

Teflon Chip

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Thermomolding

Fabricate delicate plastic microfluidic chips.

 

Materials cover common thermoplastics, including PE, PET, PP, PS, PMMA and Teflon.

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Photolithography

Fabricate fancy structures on photoresist, which will be used as template for PDMS chips.

 

The reprinted PDMS slides can also be used as templates for chip fabrication by other materials, such as hydrogel and thermoplastics.

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Photolithographic Patterns

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Replicates of Thermoplastics

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Multiphysics Simulation

Validate hypothesis of chip design and give vivid description of hydrodynamic phenomenon through calculation.

Related Publications

  1. Wang, Y., Chen, S., Sun, H., Li, W., Hu, C., & Ren, K. (2018). Recent progresses in microfabricating perfluorinated polymers (Teflons) and the associated new applications in microfluidics. Microphysiological Syst, 1(1).

  2. Hu, C., Lin, S., Li, W., Sun, H., Chen, Y., Chan, C. W., ... & Ren, K. (2016). A one-step strategy for ultra-fast and low-cost mass production of plastic membrane microfluidic chips. Lab on a Chip, 16(20), 3909-3918.

  3. Ren, K., Chen, Y., & Wu, H. (2014). New materials for microfluidics in biology. Current opinion in biotechnology, 25, 78-85.

  4. Ren, K., Zhou, J., & Wu, H. (2013). Materials for microfluidic chip fabrication. Accounts of chemical research, 46(11), 2396-2406.

  5. Ren, K., Dai, W., Zhou, J., Su, J., & Wu, H. (2011). Whole-Teflon microfluidic chips. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(20), 8162-8166.

Related Patents

  1. Chinese Patent granted CN1865924: Luo, GA; Ren, KN; Liang, QL; Wang, YM; Yao, B. “The method to fabricate a multilayer microchip containing a Z-shape flowcell for UV detection”

  2. U.S. patent granted, Schirhagl, R; Zare, R, Ren, KN; Banaei, N. Devices and Methods for Separating Particles. 13787874

  3. U.S. CIP patent, Dik-Lung MA, Chung-Hang LEUNG, Kangning REN, “Development of lead ion testing paper with naked-eye observable readout for ten min on-site detection”, No. 62/240,502

  4. US provisional patent application, Kangning REN, Dik Lung MA, Chong HU, Wanbo LI, Sheng LIN, Hongkai WU, A One-Step Strategy for Ultra-Fast and Low Cost Mass Production of Plastic Membrane Microfluidic Chips, 62/460,142

  5. Hong Kong Short-term Patent granted, Dik-Lung MA, Chung-Hang LEUNG, Kangning REN, Development of lead ion testing paper with naked-eye observable readout for ten min on-site detection, No. 16111758.1

  6. Kangning REN (HKBU), Hongkai WU (HKUST), Zuankai WANG (CityU), Shuhuai YAO(HKUST), Beng ONG (HKBU), Wanbo LI (HKBU), Zeyu LI (HKBU), Han SUN (HKBU), Chiu Wing CHAN (HKBU), US Patent pending, Crack engineering as a new route for the construction of arbitrary hierarchical architectures,

Novel AST Techniques

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Cell-on-Top AST

Bacteria can be tested on top of a hydrogel microfluidic chip. Antibiotics are supplied through channels embedded in chips and diffused to the top surface where bacteria grow. Compared to broth incubation, this approach can minimize side effects caused by shear stress and provide environments more similar to in vivo status.

On-Site AST

This design allows instrument-free results acquisition and data analysis, which is suitable for routine screening of drug-resistant bacteria in different situations, such as the food industry, public areas, and healthcare facilities.

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Related Publications

  1. Chan, C. W., Sun, H., Wang, Y., Zhao, Z., O'Neill, R., Siu, S. Y., ... & Ren, K. (2021). “Barcode” cell sensor microfluidic system: Rapid and sample-to-answer antimicrobial susceptibility testing applicable in resource-limited conditions. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 192, 113516.

  2. Sun, H., Chan, C. W., Wang, Y., Yao, X., Mu, X., Lu, X., ... & Ren, K. (2019). Reliable and reusable whole polypropylene plastic microfluidic devices for a rapid, low-cost antimicrobial susceptibility test. Lab on a Chip, 19(17), 2915-2924.

  3. Liu, Z., Banaei, N., & Ren, K. (2017). Microfluidics for combating antimicrobial resistance. Trends in biotechnology, 35(12), 1129-1139.

  4. Liu, Z., Sun, H., & Ren, K. (2017). A Multiplexed, Gradient‐Based, Full‐Hydrogel Microfluidic Platform for Rapid, High‐Throughput Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. ChemPlusChem, 82(5), 792-801.

  5. Sun, H., Liu, Z., Hu, C., & Ren, K. (2016). Cell-on-hydrogel platform made of agar and alginate for rapid, low-cost, multidimensional test of antimicrobial susceptibility. Lab on a Chip, 16(16), 3130-3138.​

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