Our research is concerned with the new science and technology generated by applying micro/nanofabricated structures and devices to biological studies and biosensors. The emphasis in our research is to develop novel tools and techniques to manipulate single cells and single molecules on microchips and carry out bioanalysis and detection with ultrahigh sensitivity. Obtaining information from basic biological units such as single cells and single molecules is extremely important for molecular and cellular biology studies. Traditional biochemical and biophysical methods are based on bulk measurements of a large number of molecules or cells. Total population methods, although very useful, yield only information about average properties or behavior of molecules/cells. Given the heterogeneity of the molecule/cell population and the lack of synchronization among individuals, it is important to find out whether the average behavior is representative of the individual units within the population or distinct subpopulations with different responses exist. The tools for single cell/molecule measurement also have practical applications for biosensing. There are several directions that we are actively pursuing in this lab. First, we apply microfluidics-based electroporation for drug/gene delivery and analysis of intracellular materials at single cell or subcellular level. Second, we apply microfluidics-based physical and chemical methods to alter the biochemical states of cells at single cell or subcellular level to observe how it influences the cell behavior. Third, we develop tools related to single molecule force measurement.

Wang, J., Stine, M.J. and Lu, C., "Microfluidic cell electroporation using a mechanical valve." Analytical Chemistry 79 (2007) 9584-9587.

Wang, J. and Lu, C., "Single molecule λ-DNA stretching studied by microfluidics and single particle tracking." Journal of Applied Physics 102 (2007) 074703.

Wang, J. and Lu, C., "Microfluidic cell fusion under continuous direct current voltage." Applied Physics Letters 89 (2006) 234102.

Wang, H.Y. and Lu, C., "Microfluidic chemical cytometry based on modulation of local field strength," Chemical Communications (2006) 3528-3530.

Wang, H.Y. and Lu, C., "High-throughput and real-time study of single cell electroporation using microfluidics: effects of medium osmolarity," Biotechnology & Bioengineering 95 (2006) 1116-1125.

Wang, H.Y. and Lu, C., "Electroporation of mammalian cells in a microfluidic channel with geometric variation," Analytical Chemistry 78 (2006) 5158-5164.

Wang, H.Y., Bhunia, A.K. and Lu, C., "A microfluidic flow-through device for high throughput electrical lysis of bacterial cells based on continuous DC voltage," Biosensors & Bioelectronics 22 (2006) 582-588.

Chu, K.L., Gold, S., Subramanian, R., Lu, C., Shannon, M.A. and Masel, R.I., "A nanoporous silicon membrane electrode assembly for on-chip micro fuel cell applications," Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems 15 (2006) 671-677.

Lu, C., Smith, A.E. and Craighead, H.G., "Separation of denatured proteins in free solution on a microchip based on differential binding of alkyl sulfates with different carbon chain lengths," Chemical Communications (2005) 183-185 (selected for inclusion in RSC Chemical Biology Virtual Journal).