Real-time virus trapping and fluorescent imaging in microfluidic devices

We have used dielectrophoretic filters within microfluidic biochips to capture from a flow and image virus particles in real-time. The verification of capture was performed by fluorescently labeling the particles using dual or triple labeling. These nonmechanical filters can be very valuable in the sample preparation, purification, and concentration of viral particles from a mixed sample. The described imaging methodology can be used for real-time imaging of nanometer scale virus particles for analysis of capture, detection, and characterization of these particles within micro and nanoscale sensors.