Medical Design Briefs - May 2024 - 25

To overcome these limitations, an interdisciplinary
team from Tohoku University
and OIST has introduced a miniaturized
rotational thermal drawing
process (mini-rTDP), drawing inspiration
from traditional Japanese candy-making
techniques - the fabrication
of Kintaro-ame.
Their innovative approach involves
rotating the materials during thermal
stretching to create intricate three-dimensional
structures within fibers.
This process is highly versatile, accommodating
a wide range of materials
that can deform when heated, unlocking
endless possibilities for combining
diverse materials.
" Mini-rTDP facilitates rapid-prototyping
of three-dimensional microfluidic
systems, ideal for precise biofluid
manipulation, " points out Yuanyuan
Guo, an associate professor at Tohoku
University's Frontier Research Institute
for Interdisciplinary Sciences
(FRIS).
" Mini-rTDP involves creating a
molded polymer preform containing
channels, which are subsequently
stretched and heated to generate microfluidic
channels within a fiber.
These channels can then be further rotated
to shape three-dimensional spiral
configurations, " says Shunsuke Kato, a
junior researcher at FRIS and the first
author of the paper.
In collaboration with Amy Shen,
leader of the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics
Unit at OIST, the interdisciplinary
Tohoku-OIST team conducted both
simulations and experiments to visualize
fluid flows within the spiral structures.
" We have confirmed the presence of
Dean vortices, a type of rotational flow
occurring in curved channels, in our
devices, thus affirming their potential
for
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significantly enhancing cell and
particle separation efficiency, says Daniel
Carlson from Shen's group. "
" The rapid prototyping of three-dimensional
spiral microfluidics using
mini-rTDP represents a remarkable advancement
in the field of microfluidics.
This technology offers unparalleled
versatility, precision, and the
potential to
catalyze
transformative
changes across various industries, " says
Shen.
" Furthermore, we are actively pursuing
the integration of microfluidic
channels with functionalities such as
Medical Design Briefs, May 2024
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electrodes, biosensors, and actuators
directly into fibers. This endeavor has
the potential to revolutionize lab-onchip
bioanalytical technologies, " says
Guo.
This research is a testament to the
collaborative efforts of the OIST SHIKA
program and the matching funds
provided by Tohoku University, highlighting
the strong partnership and
synergy between these two institutions.
Details of their breakthrough were
published in the journal Microsystems
and Nanoengineering.
For more information, contact Yuanyuan
Guo, FRIS, yyuanguo@fris.tohoku.ac.jp or
visit https://sites.google.com/view/neuroelectronics/?pli=1.
mailto:yyuanguo@fris.tohoku.ac.jp https://sites.google.com/view/neuroelectronics/?pli=1 http://info.hotims.com/86255-742 http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs - May 2024

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