# A scalable electrokinetic flow cytometer and cell sorter

> **NIH NIH R43** · AINCOBIO LLC · 2022 · $357,081

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Current cell separation technologies are limited to sorting and analyzing heterogenous cell populations based
on differences in cell size or cell density or by leveraging the expression of specific immunological targets or
receptor-ligand interactions. Other cytophysical characteristics such as deformability, electrical charge, and
electrical polarizability are correlated with important biological differences between subpopulations of cells and
would serve as valuable biomarkers for these populations; however, currently available instruments lack the
capability to separate cells based on these cytophysical/cytoelectrical parameters. Aincobio is developing
“ElectroFlow”, the first electrokinetic flow cytometer, to address this gap. ElectroFlow combines dielectrophoresis
(DEP), an electrical-field-induced force that is well-established as a method to separate and characterize
particles, with field-flow-fractionation (FFF) to separate cells based on differences in membrane polarization and
other cytoelectric phenotypes. ElectroFlow will allow for different force combinations to be programmed for
different cell types or different aspects of cells, achieving specialized differentiation of cellular features (size,
shape, density, membrane composition and morphology, surface markers, surface charge, and cytosol
composition). The Aincobio team has built a prototype ElectroFlow instrument and demonstrated proof-of-
concept with both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells at ~5,000 cells/min. To enable scaling to accommodate large
numbers of cells, Aincobio has applied multi-physics simulations to redesign the device construction and DEP
electronics to allow for a 10x scale-up in number of cells per run. In this Phase I SBIR, Aincobio will leverage
this simulation data to 1) build and bench-test prototype microelectrode array circuit boards and signal amplifier
electronics, and 2) improve thermal management and validate prototype by measuring separation efficiency of
mixtures of activated and resting T-cells as a function of voltage and ionic strength. Successful completion of the
Phase I aims will establish proof-of-concept for a commercially viable instrument that can analyze  106 cells in
a 20-minute run and sort by cytoelectric/cytophysical features. Commercialization of ElectroFlow will provide an
accessible means for all researchers to study and harness differences in cytoelectric properties, opening entirely
new avenues of biological research and biomedical application.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10546934
- **Project number:** 1R43GM148106-01
- **Recipient organization:** AINCOBIO LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Lorenzo Damico
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $357,081
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10546934

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10546934, A scalable electrokinetic flow cytometer and cell sorter (1R43GM148106-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10546934. Licensed CC0.

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