Microfluidics dielectrophoresis device for potential cancer cell detection and separation

Abstract

Cancer is a leading cause of death that adversely affects all ages and genders globally. Tremendous researches have been developed to cure cancer. Some of it share similar drawbacks as the detection result takes a longer time and leads to over-diagnosis. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a method that can be used to obtain cell electrical properties such as capacitance, conductivity, and permittivity. DEP acts as a non-invasive technique to distinguish normal cells from the cancerous cells in a shorter period, which can lead to early detection. A device was designed in this study using a pair of electrodes, the main channel, two inlets, and two outlets. COMSOL software simulations reveal that the electrodes captured particles successfully and sorted them within a specific time. The chance of cell captured and the ability of electrodes to sort cancerous cells is around 80%. Additionally, an ideal design of the microfluidic chip was established.