Affiliation:
1. School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science UNSW Sydney Kensington NSW 2052 Australia
2. School of Chemistry University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
3. The University of Sydney Nano Institute University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
4. School of Physics University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
5. ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology University of New South Wales Sydney 2052 Australia
Abstract
AbstractDroplet 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.
Funder
Australian Research Council