Intelligent droplet platform to automate liquid handling in biomedical research
Official title: Development of an intelligent droplet acoustofluidic platform for automated liquid-liquid handing and monitoring in biomedical research
Funded at Trustees of Indiana University · NIH-11413808 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI-powered droplet platform would automate and monitor tiny liquid handling in biology and medicine, potentially speeding up experiments and improving reliability.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $356,480 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM160423-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11413808 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient participants in this stage; the work is technology development for lab use that could enable future patient-related research.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit at this stage; it is a technology platform.
What this research studies
This project aims to combine acoustics and microfluidics to move and monitor picoliter droplets with high precision. It will use real-time feedback and artificial intelligence to control liquid handling across complex reactions. The goal is to reduce contamination, increase throughput, and improve reproducibility in biomedical workflows. The work centers on translating a digital acoustofluidics approach into a robust, automated tool for researchers and clinicians.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, scientists could perform faster, more reliable experiments with less manual effort and reduced error.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary demonstrations of digital acoustofluidics have shown promise in precise droplet manipulation and high-throughput potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Trustees of Indiana University
Bloomington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guo, Feng — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Guo, Feng
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.