Enhanced cell viability in hyaluronic acid coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) porous scaffolds within microfluidic channels.

The concept of the present work is to produce porous optimised scaffolds of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) coated with hyaluronic acid (HA), to provide a suitable microenvironment for cellular proliferation. Freeze dried scaffolds were produced from PLGA with varying lactic acid and glycolic acid ratios along the polymer backbone, as follows: 50:50 ester terminated, 50:50 carboxylate end-group and 85:15 ester terminated. Subsequently, these scaffolds were immersed in crosslinked HA in order for the coating to enhance biological performance. Scaffolds were fully characterized with respect to surface morphology, physical and chemical properties. The biocompatibility of the scaffolds was firstly evaluated using standard L929 fibroblast cells in static culture and subsequently MCF-7 breast cancer cells were seeded on scaffolds which were incorporated within a microfluidic device. The results show that cells were attracted to and adhered to the scaffolds, with a higher affinity for HA coated scaffolds. In our system, cell viability was maintained up to 48h.

Rapid identification of antibiotic resistance using droplet microfluidics.

Culturing bacteria and monitoring bacterial cell growth is a critical issue when dealing with patients who present with bacterial infections. One of the main challenges that arises is the time taken to identify the particular strain of bacteria and consequently, decide the correct treatment. In the majority of cases, broad spectrum antibiotics are used to target infections when a narrow spectrum drug would be more appropriate. The efficient monitoring of bacterial growth and potential antibiotic resistance is necessary to identify the best treatment options for patients. Minturising the reactions into microfluidic droplets offers a novel method to rapidy analyze bacteria. Microfluidics facilitates low volume reactions that provide a unique system where each droplet reaction acts as an individual bioreactor. Here, we designed and built a novel platform that allowed us to create and monitor E.coli microfluidic droplet cultures. Optical capacity was built in and measurements of bacterial cultures were captured facilitating the continuous monitoring of individual reactions. The capacity of the instrument was demonstrated by the application of treatments to both bacteria and drug resistant strains of bacteria. We were able to detect responses within one hour in the droplet cultures, demonstrating the capacity of this workflow to the culture and rapid characterization of bacterial strains.