Microfluidic Gel Electrophoresis in the Undergraduate Laboratory Applied to Food Analysis

Abstract

b S Supporting Information S ince its early analytical applications in the 1990s, microfluidic systems or labs-on-a-chip are becoming more standard in analytical laboratories. 1À3 Components necessary to perform microfluidic analyses are now commercially available, such as programmable multichannel power supplies and detection systems, as well as the microfluidic manifolds. Even complete commercial microfluidic separation systems can now be purchased. Because of their numerous advantages, including low cost, high throughput, and high speed of analysis, microfluidic systems are expected to become an important tool in modern analytical procedures. 4 Training future chemists on this novel technology as part of the undergraduate curriculum will thus endow graduate students with scientific knowledge and laboratory skills needed for the 21th century.An undergraduate microfluidic experiment is described, which was developed for an instrumental analysis laboratory module and employees a complete commercially available platform. An important aspect of instrumental laboratory training for undergraduate students is to provide a practical context for the used techniques. Thus, a course module is presented capable of teaching basic microfluidic-based capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) with an application related to food analysis. The chosen application further teaches basic molecular biological methods for food testing with a special focus on the use of DNA size analysis. These experiments can be easily integrated into courses teaching analytical techniques, but can also be part of molecular biology courses. Moreover, this laboratory module has a high degree of interdisciplinarity due to the combination of biochemical techniques with novel instruments.

Curriculum and course materials for a forensic DNA biology course

“…For example, in the Journal of Chemical Education, papers detail DNA typing of the human D1S80 locus implemented as an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory experiment , using mitochondrial DNA to probe a hypervariable region from simulated forensic samples in the biochemistry laboratory , forensic analysis of canine DNA samples from dog hair and saliva in the biochemistry laboratory , probing for a DNA segment present in genetically modified foods , genotype the normal variation in human color vision , evaluate a metabolic polymorphism , designing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer multiplexes in the forensic laboratory , amplification and quantitation of human DNA using TPOX locus primers using real‐time PCR in the forensic, biochemistry, or molecular biology laboratory , and introducing microfluidic gel electrophoresis in the undergraduate laboratory applied to food analysis . Other related papers include an article on DNA profiling from convicted offenders for the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and an NSF‐funded collaboration between Chemistry and Biology Departments to introduce spectroscopy, electrophoresis, and molecular biology in five different courses .…”

Student-led microfluidics lab practicals: Improving engagement and learning outcomes

“…Activities particularly targeting university level education include the use of a microchannel ELISA, 16 demonstrating mixing and precipitation for chemistry students, 17 a microfluidic chip for continuous flow acid-base titration for use in analytical chemistry teaching laboratories, 18 and food analysis using microfluidic electrophoresis, 19 which fall in the category of using microfluidics for teaching (rather than teaching directly microfluidics) as defined by Fintschenko. 20 Other activities have included the production of microfluidic devices with extensive exploration of their analytical chemistry applications 21 and on-chip electrophoresis with student made chips, 22 which while introducing the concepts of fabrication still utilise predetermined device designs and, therefore, like most microfluidic activities for university education fall in the middle of the "DIY to blackbox" spectrum with little freedom given to students to explore their own designs.…”

Capillary electrophoresis applied to DNA: determining and harnessing sequence and structure to advance bioanalyses (2009–2014)

“…As the technology matures, research-driven advances have been transformed into heavily utilized applications, generating a large user-base focused on applying the methodology. Perhaps the best indicator of progress in the field of capillary electrophoresis DNA separations is the translation of this technology into the teaching laboratory [ 18 , 19 ]. Capillary electrophoresis separations of DNA have been integrated in teaching exercises in genomic identification of food with a commercial chip [ 18 ].…”

“…Perhaps the best indicator of progress in the field of capillary electrophoresis DNA separations is the translation of this technology into the teaching laboratory [ 18 , 19 ]. Capillary electrophoresis separations of DNA have been integrated in teaching exercises in genomic identification of food with a commercial chip [ 18 ]. Despite the maturity of this technology innovative research and new applications are reported.…”