MSc assignment: High-Throughput Microfluidic Device for Magnetic Bead Purification
This is a joint project between Demcon Life Science & Health and the BIOS Lab‑on‑a‑Chip group and you will have two supervisors. The assignment is carried out partly at Demcon in Enschede (Institutenweg 25).
Marc Karle et al. DOI: 10.1039/c0lc00129e
Microfluidics is transforming life sciences by miniaturizing and automating complex workflows, replacing bulky laboratory setups with compact, integrated ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems. These lab-on-a-chip systems are used in a wide range of applications, such as pathogen isolation, cell and nucleic acid purification, analytical assays for drug development and food safety testing.
Magnetic bead-based purification is a cornerstone in many of these processes. Beads allow selective binding and separation of target molecules, such as DNA or mRNA. However, scaling this technique up for industrial use introduces real-world challenges such as bead aggregation, channel clogging and achieving high throughput and reliability.
We are looking for a student eager to dive into the topic of magnetic bead purification. We have developed several promising concepts and are seeking someone who can explore and refine them. This will be a multi-faceted assignment that spans multiple design phases: defining system requirements, creating a design that meets those requirements, and performing tests to evaluate real-world performance.
The project combines systems engineering and theoretical work with hands-on activities such as chip design, manufacturing, and experimentation. Ultimately, the goal is to build a demonstrator that proves scaling up is not only possible but practical.
Contact persons:
Roel Penterman (Demcon), Jorien Berendsen
