Graça Minas

Universidade do Minho

Escola de Engenharia

Dept. Electrónica Industrial

RESEARCH

Professors

LAB-ON-A-CHIP DEVICES

The healthcare sector is nowadays one of the most dynamic and where the novelty is a strategic and operational imperative. Lab-on-a-chip devices can provide a plataform that allows reduce sample size, higher degree of integration and hence enhanced potential for automation, shortened response time, potential for improved analytical performance, reduced laboratory safety and costs. Therefore, they can contribute to a better quality in the health care services and also a better efficiency in the clinical and administrative processes. Our research is basically focussed on lab-on-a-chip devices for microfluids mixing with on-chip integration of electronic circuits, optical filters, sensors, biosensors and microactuators.

RESEARCH GROUP

Professor

Graça Minas

Associate Professor and Team Coordinator

PhD, Master and Degree in Electronics Engineering

,gminas@dei.uminho.pt

' +351 253604705

Pos-Doc

Vanessa Cardoso

PhD in Biomedical Engineering

Integrated Master in Biomedical Engineering - Major in Medical Electronics

,vanessa@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Optimization of iron oxide-based porous magnetic silica spheres for histidine tagged proteins capture in large scale and lab-on-a-chip applications (SFRH/BPD/98109/2013)

This project will evaluate the capture, transport, isolation and detection of histidine rich proteins on porous magnetic silica (PMS) spheres via coordinate bonding using transition metal ions as anchoring points. A lab-on-a-chip system will be designed and fabricated, incorporating PMS and proteins recycling.

Susana Catarino

PhD in Biomedical Engineering

Integrated Master in Biomedical Engineering - Major in Medical Electronics

,scatarino@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Multifunctional lab-on-a-chip for blood properties detection with integrated PVDF acoustic transducers: application to malaria biomarkers (SFRH/BPD/108889/2015)

This project will develop a low-cost lab-on-a-chip device with beta-PVDF piezoelectric transducers for quantification of blood viscosity and RBCs velocity, based on acoustic detection, for the early detection of malaria via blood rheological properties.

PhD Students

	Tiago Monteiro PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering (supervised by Luis Gonçalves) Master in Micro/Nano Technologies ,id4421@alunos.uminho.pt Current project: Integrated microbiosensors for gastrointestinal dysplasia detection (SFRH/BD/90121/2012). In co-supervision with Susana Freitas from INESC-MN. The objective of the proposed research project is the development of pH potentiometric biosensors based on Silicon wet etching technology for measuring intra- and extracellular pH. This pH values is one of the possible markers that can be used to aid in the detection of dysplasia.
	Vera Faustino PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering Master in Biomedical Engineering ,id5778@alunos.uminho.pt Current project: Microfluidic system for cell separation and deformation assessment based on biomimetic and acoustofluidic methods (SFRH/BD/99696/2014). In co-supervision with Rui Lima from DEM. The objective of the proposed research project is to investigate the potential of acoustic forces, solely and combined with passive methods, to manipulate multiphase flows and to separate and assess blood cells deformability.

Master Students

Finished PhD Students

Débora Ferreira

PhD Student in BioEngineering MIT-Portugal (Finished 17th January 2012)

Master in Biomedical Engineering

,debora@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Spectroscopy systems for the detection of gastrointestinal (SFRH/BD/38978/2007)

This project proposes a novel method for enabling medical devices through advanced technology that can dramatically improve early detection and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) early cancers and cancer precursors through the integration in the EC of optical sensors for cancer stage detection based on cells and tissues autofluorescence emission and diffuse reflectance spectra.

Miniaturized spectroscopy system for wavelength selection and detection

Vanessa Cardoso

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering (Finished 11th December 2012)

Master in Biomedical Engineering

,vanessa@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Fluidic acoustic thermogitation based on electroactive polymers for lab-on-a-chip applications (SFRH/BD/44289/2008)

Fabrication and characterization of an acoustic thermoagitator based on the piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymer. Study of its feasibility in the mixture of fluids with different viscosities at macro-, micro- and nano-scale. Development of a lab-on-a-chip device with fluidic acoustic thermoagitation for the quantification of biomolecules in biological fluids.

Lab-on-a-chip with PVDF underneath

Reaction time versus frequency for a 5 mg/dL of uric acid concentration in urine, when a sinusoidal signal of 10 V amplitude is applied to the 110-μm thick β−PVDF film.

Susana Catarino

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering (finished 17th February 2014)

Integrated Master in Biomedical Engineering - Major in Medical Electronics

,scatarino@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Modeling, simulation and implementation of the phenomenon of acoustic streaming produced by piezoelectric polymers for fluids micropumping and microagitation in microfluidic devices (SFRH/BD/61767/2009)

The main objective of this work is the development of a microfluidic device, and the optimization of micropumping and microagitation, generated by a piezoelectric polymer - beta-PVDF. This optimization is based on modeling and computer simulation of all the processes involved in the acoustic streaming phenomenon, e.g., the influence of the actuator signal, the structural and chemical properties of the polymer and the microfluidic device, the interaction of mechanical energy generated by the piezoelectric effect with the fluids and the heat generated by this phenomenon.

Generation of acoustics waves

for fluids microagitation

Ramiro Correia

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering

Master in Industrial Electronics and Computing Engineering

,ramirogcorreia@gmail.com

Current project:

Sistema Microsystem for biochemical compouds control, actuation and reading in a lab-on-a-chip(SFRH/BD/70467/2010)

The main objective of this work is the development of the acoustic thermoagitation actuation electronics system generated by electroactive piezoelectric devices, for pumping and heatings fluids in lab-on-a-chip devices, applying variables electrical signals (frequency and amplitude).

Sara Pimenta

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering

Integrated Master in Biomedical Engineering - Major in Medical Electronics

,id4474@alunos.uminho.pt

Current project:

Optical microsystem for spectroscopy signals extraction applied to gastrointestinal dysplasua detection (SFRH/BD/87605/2012)

The objective of the proposed research project is the development of a chip-sized spectroscopy microsystem for the detection of morphological and biochemical tissue changes that will provide information of the cancer stage.

Paulo Sousa

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering

Master in Micro/Nano Technologies

,psousa@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Thin-film sensor array for gastrointestinal pressure measurements (SFRH/BD/81562/2011)

The purpose of this work is to develop new multifunctional nanocomposites for piezoressistive sensors for biomedical applications, as well as the corresponding data acquisition system. The leading application will be the development of pressure sensors.

Vânia Pinto

PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering

Master in Micro/Nano Technologies

,vpinto@dei.uminho.pt

Current project:

Microfluidic imunossensor for salivary cortisol quantification (SFRH/BD/81526/2011)

The main objective of this work is the development of a lab-on-a-chip for measurement of salivary cortisol, without the use of expensive equipments, spectrophotometers or auto-analizers.