UC Santa Cruz

In-vitro cell culturing is one of the most exciting tools scientists use to study cellular and molecular biology.Its applications range from normal physiology and biochemistry of cells, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, drug screening and development, and manufacturing of biological compounds (e.g., vaccines). Studies of cell culture morphology often involved equipment such as a cell culture hood, incubator, microscope, centrifuge, etc. These pieces of equipment are often expensive and inaccessible. In addition, some equipment simply does not exist at all (e.g., equipment that can electronically change ion concentration in cell culture). Therefore, novel and more accessible equipment is needed.

This work explores various aspects of in-vitro related equipment and identifies the following equipment that needs to be revised. As biosensors get smaller and cheaper, a data acquisition system also needs to be more portable and accessible. A low-cost in-incubator imaging system that allows a long-term and high-throughput study of cell cultures is needed to study the long-term effect of various factors in cell cultures. An array of ion pumps require a more versatile and low-cost multi-channel potentiostat. The work addressed the needs mentioned above.

Specifically, in this thesis I discussed the sensing side, including Glucose sensor, Ions sensors, and high-throughput imaging system. I designed data acquisition systems for a glucose sensor and ion sensors, and electronic circuits for high-throughput imaging system. Additionally, an ion actuation and equipment that operate an array of ion pump (i.e., multi-channel potentiostat) is investigated. I proposed a novel, low-cost, multi-channel potentiostat tailored toward an array of ion pumps and general electrochemical applications. The multi-channel potentiostat was iterated and tested with several ion pump designs. Ion pumps and the multi-channel potentiostat are tested with fluorescent dyes and later genetically modified stem cells. Next, I introduce machine learning, closed-loop control for control Vmem of stem cells. Finally, to provide a glimpse of one possible future expansion of my work, I present a preliminary result from a work in-progress, in-vivo device.