Claire E. Stanley

A microfluidic approach for high-throughput droplet interface bilayer (DIB) formation

We present a simple, automated method for high-throughput formation of droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) in a microfluidic device. We can form complex DIB networks that are able to fill predefined three dimensional architectures. Moreover, we demonstrate the flexibility of the system by using a variety of lipids including 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC).

Anion binding inhibition of the formation of a helical organogel

A chiral tris(urea) organogelator gels dmso-water and methanol-water mixtures at low weight percent. The formation of the helical gel fibres is partially inhibited by addition of chloride, which is bound by the gelator, resulting in fully crystalline material characterised by X-ray crystallography.

Continuous and segmented flow microfluidics: applications in high-throughput chemistry and biology.

This account highlights some of our recent activities focused on developing microfluidic technologies for application in high-throughput and high-information content chemical and biological analysis. Specifically, we discuss the use of continuous and segmented flow microfluidics for artificial membrane formation, the analysis of single cells and organisms, nanomaterial synthesis and DNA amplification via the polymerase chain reaction. In addition, we report on recent developments in small-volume detection technology that allow access to the vast amounts of chemical and biological information afforded by microfluidic systems.

Dual-flow-RootChip reveals local adaptations of roots towards environmental asymmetry at the physiological and genetic levels

Roots grow in highly dynamic and heterogeneous environments. Biological activity as well as uneven nutrient availability or localized stress factors result in diverse microenvironments. Plants adapt their root morphology in response to changing environmental conditions, yet it remains largely unknown to what extent developmental adaptations are based on systemic or cell-autonomous responses. We present the dual-flow-RootChip, a microfluidic platform for asymmetric perfusion of Arabidopsis roots to investigate root-environment interactions under simulated environmental heterogeneity. Applications range from investigating physiology, root hair development and calcium signalling upon selective exposure to environmental stresses to tracing molecular uptake, performing selective drug treatments and localized inoculations with microbes. Using the dual-flow-RootChip, we revealed cell-autonomous adaption of root hair development under asymmetric phosphate (Pi) perfusion, with unexpected repression in root hair growth on the side exposed to low Pi and rapid tip-growth upregulation when Pi concentrations increased. The asymmetric root environment further resulted in an asymmetric gene expression of RSL4, a key transcriptional regulator of root hair growth. Our findings demonstrate that roots possess the capability to locally adapt to heterogeneous conditions in their environment at the physiological and transcriptional levels. Being able to generate asymmetric microenvironments for roots will help further elucidate decision-making processes in root-environment interactions.

An organ-on-a-chip approach for investigating root-environment interactions in heterogeneous conditions

Plants adapt their root morphology in response to changing environmental conditions, yet it remains largely unknown to what extent developmental adaptations are based on systemic or cell-autonomous responses. We present the dual-flow-RootChip (dfRootChip), a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platform for asymmetric perfusion of Arabidopsis roots to investigate root-environment interactions under simulated environmental heterogeneity. Applications range from root guidance, monitoring of physiology and development under asymmetric conditions, tracing molecular uptake and selective drug treatments to local inoculation with microbes. We measured calcium responses in roots treated with biotic and abiotic elicitors and observed elicitor-specific signal propagation across the root from treated to untreated cells. We provide evidence for non-autonomous positive regulation of hair growth across the root upon exposure to unfavourable conditions on the opposite side. Our approach sheds light on lateral coordination of morphological adaptation and facilitates studies on root physiology, signalling and development in heterogeneous environments at the organ level.