The project seeks to develop a “miniaturization” of plant factories, using aggregates of plant cells in a small microfluidic device that captures cells and regulates the flow of nutrients and biochemicals like plant growth hormones. The device is expected to mimic the hormonal and mechanical environment, allowing the cells to develop and function as they do in the plant. The concept is similar to the way medical scientists use the organ-on-chip devices that mimic the function of a liver, kidney, or other organs to understand how they work. In a similar way, the plant microfluidic device can be used to test conditions that lead plant cells to produce useful compounds or carry out important functions. For example, the device has potential as an experimental tool that will allow plant biologists to study cell division and regeneration--both critical to developing biotechnology applications. The proposal seeks to improve a prototype version of a microfluidic device by automating plant growth hormone delivery and adding the capability to generate variable gradients, both of which will better mimic the growth and functional environment of cells in the plant. Plants are natural factories that produce the food and medicinal compounds upon which humans rely, including anti-cancer, antimalarial, and other drugs. The proposed development of the device can help in finding cost-effective ways to develop and scale up the production of new natural medicinal compounds. The project will also