UC Berkeley

During my graduate years in Berkeley, I focused on the development of a new tool that can be used to attach DNA to live cells, and the subsequent use of the DNA modified live cells for different applications, including cell patterning, single cell analysis, and cell targeting. Chapter 1 focuses on a new and efficient bioconjugation method to attach single-stranded DNA to live cells. Chapter 2 describes the adaptation of this strategy into a highly-efficient system for multiplex cell patterning, capable of achieving single-cell resolution. Chapter 3 shows the application of this technique for the electrochemical analysis of individual live cells. Single cell metabolism is measured with the integrated device. Chapter 4 focuses on the attachment of DNA-modified cells to an AFM cantilever for direct live cell patterning and the measurement of cell adhesion force. Chapter 5 describes the measurement of the anchoring force of cell membrane protein receptor using AFM technique.