After continually seeing variability in assays using the microfluidic silicon membrane canalicular array (µSiM-CA) and developing a new technique to visualize bacterial division in the µSiM-CA, discussed here, we wanted to improve and stabilize the performance of our assays. Currently, the µSiM-CA is used by our lab, the Gill lab and the Dunman lab to…
Recently, several studies on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) have been hindered due to poor performance from assays using the µSiM-Canalicular Array (CA). As discussed here, we attempted to improve assay performance by coating our membranes with fibronectin. This did not work well and instead left us in a state of confusion as we did not…
This post describes my second attempt at developing a protocol for viral genome extraction in large volumes of waste water. Like our first attempt, described here, we looked to improve upon the protocol Direct wastewater RNA extraction via the “Milk of Silica (MoS)” method – A companion method to “Sewage, Salt, Silica and SARS-CoV-2 (4S)”….
Parallel with my efforts in the Osteomyelitis project to coat our membranes with polyurethane acrylate, I began working with the Gill lab on improving the performance of our uSiM platform as a propagation assay for Staphylococcus aureus. In the past we have gotten a lot of good data using this assay, but its performance has…
Since I discovered a dilution of polyurethane acrylate (PUA) which coats well (described here), I have restarted my efforts towards etching the PUA. Described below are my most recent attempts towards creating a PUA coating with a smooth surface with a 1 um in thickness. Unfortunately, it has proven harder to maintain a smooth surface…
Since we last discovered our polyurethane acrylate (PUA) has a shelf life (described here) and received a new solution of PUA, we have been trying to replicate the results that we had before. Unfortunately, we have realized that this is much easier said than done. What we have found is the specific dilution of PUA…
The battle for soft membrane coatings wages on as we continue to optimize polyurethane acrylate (PUA) coatings for our osteomyelitis project, whose background is described here and here and initial progress is described here. Since our last update, we have honed in on our most promising recipe and tried to fine tune its settings in…
The first DNA extraction was done over 150 years ago in 18691. Since then, the process has been refined and expanded to include multiple physical and or chemical methods. For the waste water epidemiology project (described here), we will be focusing on DNA extraction via silica adsorption without the use of chaotropic agents. The mechanism…
As discussed in a previous post of mine, I am currently working on a project to develop an in vitro mimetic of the osteocyte lacuna-canicular network (OLCN) to improve the ability to predict Staphylococcus Aureus invasion and colonization of the OLCN during osteomyelitis. The purpose of this post is to provide more background behind Aim…
The premise of this project is built around the ideas that our membranes can: Be used as concentrators for very dilute targets Catch and hold particles for further processing on the membrane Here, we wish to test these ideas for dilute viral genome extraction in large volumes of waste water. We looked to improve upon…