The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research program of Prof. Lisa Holland of West Virginia University. Prof. Holland and her students will develop phospholipid-based liquid crystal sieves and use them for non-mechanical, magnetic or electromagnetic, actuators in microfluidic devices. The new materials will be used as valves or in separation studies in microfluidic systems where their temperature sensitive properties will be utilized to facilitate analyte separation. The proposed non-mechanical valving will improve the performance and increase the simplicity of microfluidic separation devices which could strongly impact the field of disease diagnostics. The PI will provide training opportunity to high school, undergraduate and graduate students in a highly multidisciplinary and technologically challenging area of research. She will develop online training modules to enhance the research experience for high school and undergraduate students.
