An Optical Density Detection Platform with Integrated Microfluidics for In Situ Growth, Monitoring, and Treatment of Bacterial Biofilms

Abstract

Systems engineering strategies utilizing platform-based design methodologies are implemented to achieve the integration of biological and physical system components in a biomedical system. An application of this platform explored, in which an integrated microsystem is developed capable of the on-chip growth, monitoring, and treatment of bacterial biofilms for drug development and fundamental study applications. In this work, the developed systems engineering paradigm is utilized to develop a device system implementing linear array charge-coupled devices to enable real time, non-invasive, label-free monitoring of bacterial biofilms. A novel biofilm treatment method is demonstrated within the developed microsystem showing drastic increases in treatment efficacy by decreasing both bacterial biomass and cell viability within treated biofilms. Demonstration of this treatment at the microscale enables future applications of this method for the in vivo treatment of biofilm-associated infections.