We have developed a mechanical approach for lipid bilayer formation based on droplet interface bilayers which uses simple consumables and is parallelizable, automatable, and requires no expertise or training. The platform allows for the repeated formation and measurement of bilayer arrays, which we demonstrate through the parallel formation and simultaneous measurement of 32 bilayers. The consumable is compatible with SBS standard 96 well plates and is easily scalable to higher densities for high throughput automated bilayer formation and measurement. We characterized the bilayer characteristics and yield of our platform and validated it through the simultaneous measurement of the protein nanopore α-Hemolysin over the array plate. We have automated this platform by processing this consumable plate with a motion control robot integrated with a fluid handling station and multichannel electrophysiological amplifier. The platform is capable of running completely unattended, repetitively cycling through plate acquisition, solution dispensation, electrical measurement, and plate disposal, while executing a variety of easily modified assays or experimental protocols. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of our system, we show fully automated measurement of α-hemolysin and its use to quantitatively detect microRNA.

Fully automated, parallel lipid bilayer platform for specific nucleic acid detection

251st National Meeting (2016)

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