DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition

Abstract Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) offer a controlled lipid environment for studying membrane‐bound processes, with applications in artificial cells, biosensing, and biophysics. Current DIB fabrication faces challenges due to time‐consuming processes and specialized equipment, limiting scale...

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Main Authors: Alexander F Mason, Shelley FJ Wickham, Matthew AB Baker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2024-12-01
Series:Advanced Materials Interfaces
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202400413
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author Alexander F Mason
Shelley FJ Wickham
Matthew AB Baker
author_facet Alexander F Mason
Shelley FJ Wickham
Matthew AB Baker
author_sort Alexander F Mason
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) offer a controlled lipid environment for studying membrane‐bound processes, with applications in artificial cells, biosensing, and biophysics. Current DIB fabrication faces challenges due to time‐consuming processes and specialized equipment, limiting scale‐up and hindering statistical significance in single‐molecule assays. This research introduces “DIB‐BOT,” an open‐source solution combining a nanoinjector and a 3D printer. DIB‐BOT enables rapid, reproducible DIB fabrication, overcoming manual limitations. Using off‐the‐shelf components, DIB‐BOT ensures high spatial reproducibility, minimal user input, and scalable experiments. The system's utility is demonstrated through pairwise droplet assembly and a fluorescence plate‐reader assay. Compared to manual fabrication, DIB‐BOT shows a 10‐fold reduction in droplet volume error, a threefold reduction in positional error, and 100% droplet yield. This method lowers entry barriers to DIB research, expanding its applications and enhancing data quality.
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spelling doaj-art-3e890341c1704ba095f731b81a95b27e2025-08-20T02:31:36ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Materials Interfaces2196-73502024-12-011135n/an/a10.1002/admi.202400413DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer DepositionAlexander F Mason0Shelley FJ Wickham1Matthew AB Baker2School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science UNSW Sydney Kensington NSW 2052 AustraliaSchool of Chemistry University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 AustraliaSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science UNSW Sydney Kensington NSW 2052 AustraliaAbstract Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) offer a controlled lipid environment for studying membrane‐bound processes, with applications in artificial cells, biosensing, and biophysics. Current DIB fabrication faces challenges due to time‐consuming processes and specialized equipment, limiting scale‐up and hindering statistical significance in single‐molecule assays. This research introduces “DIB‐BOT,” an open‐source solution combining a nanoinjector and a 3D printer. DIB‐BOT enables rapid, reproducible DIB fabrication, overcoming manual limitations. Using off‐the‐shelf components, DIB‐BOT ensures high spatial reproducibility, minimal user input, and scalable experiments. The system's utility is demonstrated through pairwise droplet assembly and a fluorescence plate‐reader assay. Compared to manual fabrication, DIB‐BOT shows a 10‐fold reduction in droplet volume error, a threefold reduction in positional error, and 100% droplet yield. This method lowers entry barriers to DIB research, expanding its applications and enhancing data quality.https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202400413artificial cellsdroplet interface bilayersmembrane biophysicsopen‐source hardwaresynthetic biology
spellingShingle Alexander F Mason
Shelley FJ Wickham
Matthew AB Baker
DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
Advanced Materials Interfaces
artificial cells
droplet interface bilayers
membrane biophysics
open‐source hardware
synthetic biology
title DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
title_full DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
title_fullStr DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
title_full_unstemmed DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
title_short DIB‐BOT: An Open‐Source Hardware Approach for Plate‐Integrated Droplet Interface Bilayer Deposition
title_sort dib bot an open source hardware approach for plate integrated droplet interface bilayer deposition
topic artificial cells
droplet interface bilayers
membrane biophysics
open‐source hardware
synthetic biology
url https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202400413
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