CBE Seminar: Dielectrophoresis-based Biosensing

ISEB 1200
Erin Henslee, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Engineering
Wake Forest University

Non-UCI people- please use this registration link: https://forms.gle/mzLuiHPuZSnqBAT87

Abstract: Electrophysiology can characterize many cellular functions and can discriminate subtle differences between cells. These differences can occur prior to any other changes in cell morphology or labeling. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrokinetic technique which relies on the electrophysiological properties of cells and the suspending media as well as the geometry of an applied electric field to induce movement of these cells. Cell electrophysiology has been studied in this context through measuring cell responses to forces induced by the electric field. Since DEP does not rely on biomarkers or other fluorescent labels, it has become an increasingly popular method of characterization, sorting, enriching, and patterning of cells.

I was part of the group that developed the 3DEP system, a DEP-based system capable of automatically measuring electrophysiologic properties of ~20,000 cells in about 10 seconds. For this talk, I will share DEP characterization my group has pursued in biosensing applications. These include as a rapid analysis tool in cancer diagnostics, circadian biomarkers, as well as characterizing stages of programmed cell death and drug efficacy. We have a current particular interest in red blood cell (RBC)-related characterization, and thus the talk will center around these applications and future directions.

Bio: Erin Henslee is a founding faculty and assistant professor of engineering at Wake Forest University. Henslee received her bachelor's degrees in engineering science and mechanics and computational mathematics from Virginia Tech, her master's degree in biomedical engineering from Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University School of Medicine, her doctorate in biomedical engineering and a graduate certificate in teaching and learning from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Her current research spans cell electrophysiology, biomedical microdevices, cognitive control in e-sports and STEM education.

More personally, she lives in Clemmons, North Carolina, with her family and enjoys anything outdoors, reading, DIY projects and baking/decorating cakes for special occasions.

Host: Assistant Professor Tayloria Adams