Robot-aided Automatic Fish Processing System For Highly Efficient Pollutant Detection And Drug Evaluation

The aim of this project is to develop a prototype device, named AutoFish, which is a robot-aided automatic fish-processing-system for highly efficient pollutant detection and drug evaluation. The device utilizes advanced technologies of micromachining, automation, microfluidics, optical imaging and processing to provide a high-throughput and non-destructive manipulation solution for tiny zebrafish, which has been increasingly used as a preclinical animal model to save lives of thousands of experimental mice or rats. This project directly addresses key issues that must be solved to realize a prototype AutoFish. Specifically, we will design and fabricate a mcirofluidic chip for manipulating large particles on the scale of couple millimeters, and optimize the shape of the flow channels for parallel trapping and orientation of large number of fishes. We will develop an intelligent fish-loading and dispensing peripheral to automatic control fish input and output. We will also integrate a high-speed optical imaging and processing module to conduct on-chip microscopy of fishes. Lastly, we will perform feasibility study of using Autofish technology for testing polluted water sample and anti-cancer drug combinations using transgenic fishes. The success of this project will greatly benefit testing and certification service for both environmental monitoring and healthcare industry in Hong Kong.