Microfluidic library screening for mapping antibody epitopes

The capability to screen molecular libraries using disposable microfluidic devices provides the potential to simplify and automate reagent generation and to develop integrated bioanalytical systems for clinical diagnostics. Here, antibody epitopes were mapped using a disposable microfluidic device to screen a combinatorial peptide library composed of 5 x 10(8) members displayed on bacterial cells. On-chip library screening was achieved in a two-stage, continuous-flow microfluidic sorter that separates antibody-binding target cells captured on microspheres through dielectrophoretic funneling. The antibody fingerprints identified were comparable to those obtained using state-of-the-art commercial cell sorting instrumentation.