Best student poster

S011. Microfluidic glass biochip fabricated by picosecond laser assisted etching for controlled release of biomolecules, Cristina Stefana Orobeti, Center for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL), National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Romania

Abstract: Various material processing techniques have been proposed for the fabrication of smart interfaces to modulate cellular behaviour and address specific clinical issues. Particularly, laser-based technologies have attracted growing interest due to processing versatility. Latest development of ultrashort pulse lasers with pulse widths of several tens of femtosecond (fs) to several picoseconds (ps) allows fast and clean micro-fabrication of a variety of materials at micro- and nano-scale both at surface and inside volume. High quality micro-channels embedded in photosensitive glass can be successfully generated by ultrafast laser-assisted etching.  We propose here a novel microfluidic glass biochip fabricated by picosecond laser assisted etching (PLAE). This has a splitter configuration consisting of a distributor reservoir connected to three collecting reservoirs via channels of various dimensions distributing different flow rates. The potential of fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) to prevent or treat bone degeneration was assessed using an “in vitro” model of osteogenesis. Using the microfluidic biochip we tested the effect of perfusing different controlled doses of FGF2, thereby creating a miniature platform for therapeutic testing allowing identification of optimal dosages and development of temporal administration protocols. These findings could guide the design of novel therapeutic strategies for treating spaceflight osteopenia or osteoporosis;