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SUMMARY:IEM Distinguished Lecturers Seminar: Leveraging Microfluidic devic
 es to Emerging Technology & New Opportunity
DTSTART:20260311T121500
DTEND:20260311T130000
DTSTAMP:20260415T072412Z
UID:e07e335cbf339bb269159f498b581b84a378591376864bd369368761
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Yoshikazu Hirai\, Department of Mechanical Engineering a
 nd Science\, Kyoto University\, Japan\n*** Drinks and pizza at 11:45 in th
 e lobby of BM 5202 ***\n\n\nAbstract\n\nMicrofluidic technology has advanc
 ed significantly in recent years\, enabling precise manipulation of biolog
 ical molecules and nanomaterials for various applications. This talk will 
 review two key studies that demonstrate the potential of microfluidic-base
 d techniques in the fields of biophysics and quantum sensing. The first st
 udy focuses on the real-time observation of dynamic twisting motions in si
 ngle KcsA potassium channels using Diffracted X-ray Tracking (DXT) combine
 d with microfluidic technology. A gold nanocrystal is chemically attached 
 to one end of the protein\, which is anchored to a silicon nitride (SiN) m
 embrane\, allowing motion tracking by X-ray diffraction. Using a microflui
 dic device for rapid and precise exchange of neutral and acidic pH solutio
 ns\, we observed cyclic pH-induced twisting motions in real time. This tec
 hnique allows direct comparison of activation and reversal dynamics within
  the same molecule\, providing valuable insight into ion channel gating me
 chanisms.\n\nThe second study highlights the use of fluorescent nanodiamon
 ds (FNDs) containing nitrogen vacancy centers (NVCs) as highly sensitive t
 hermometers. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for temperature ma
 pping applications\, we developed a microfluidics-guided assembly method t
 hat enables the formation of vertically aggregated FND clusters on a subst
 rate. This technique enhances fluorescence signal intensity by superimposi
 ng emissions from individual FNDs\, thereby improving temperature mapping 
 accuracy. The resulting highly sensitive FND thermometers hold promise for
  a variety of applications\, including electronic device monitoring\, and 
 biological systems.\nThese studies show how important microfluidics is for
  making new discoveries in science. By combining microfluidics with new te
 chnologies\, we can find new uses for it in many different\nscientific are
 as.\n\nReferences\n1. Yusuke Asagoe et al.\, “Diffracted X-Ray Tracking 
 Method for Analyzing the Sequential Dynamic Motion of Ion Channels in Resp
 onse to a Chemical Stimulus”\, The 28th International Conference on Mini
 aturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2024)\, Montrea
 l\, Canada (October\, 2024)\, W246.k\n2. Keita Saikawa et al.\, “Microfl
 uidics-Guided Fluorescent Nanodiamond Assembly Method for Highly Sensitive
  Thermometry”\, Sens. Actuator A-Phys. 386 (2025)\, 116312 https://doi.
 org/10.1016/j.sna.2025.116312\n\n\nBio\nYoshikazu Hirai received the Ph.D.
  degree from Kyoto University\, Japan\, in 2007. He was an Assistant Profe
 ssor with the Department of Micro Engineering\, Kyoto University\, in 2013
 . Since 2021\, he has been a Junior Associate Professor with the Departmen
 t of Mechanical Engineering and Science\, Kyoto University. His current re
 search interests include fabrication and packaging for generic MEMS/NEMS\,
  silicon/polymer-based MEMS devices and systems\, atomic MEMS devices\, an
 d micro/nanofluidic systems for microphysiological systems. He has receive
 d several academic awards such as the Institute of Electrical Engineers of
  Japan (IEEJ) Distinguished Paper Award in 2017. He is an Associate Editor
  of IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology\, an Editorial Board Member of Sen
 sors and Actuators Reports\, and a MEMS Technical Committee Member of IEEE
  Electron Devices Society (EDS).\n 
LOCATION:BM 5202 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==BM%205202 https://epfl.zoom.u
 s/j/64413140571
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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