Abstract:

This work has been undertaken as an Individual Research Project, which was the major element of a structured PhD recently completed by the lead author at UCD. The doctoral project was one of a set of 12 within a Marie Curie (MSCA) Innovative Training Network (ITN) [1] funded by the EU’s Horizon-2020 programme, which involved close collaboration between five universities and 8 industry partners throughout Europe. The doctoral thesis followed the classical format with 3 years of intensive research. It focussed on the high-precision and large-area 3D printing of polymer microfluidic chips via digital light processing (DLP).

The high-level objectives involved:
(i) developing a high-precision DLP system with a print resolution of 5 um,
(ii) use AI to optimise the printing process for fabricating chip moulds,
(iii) develop software controls to combine high-precision with large-area 3D printing, and
(iv) use the novel technology to directly fabricate microfluidic chips.

At the time of writing, this project has led to 4 peer-reviewed journal articles and one patent application.

In the early stages of the structured training taken by the first author, similar to that of the other ITN students, 22 ECTS worth of credits were obtained for technical and transferrable-skills modules. All network partners were involved in either delivering or designing these modules, which were delivered in short intensive Winter/Summer Schools of 1-2 weeks duration at different consortium locations (Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands and Switzerland). This format was conducive to accelerating students’ learning, enhancing their individual projects, and to establishing a strong and supportive peer network. Furthermore, the first author undertook two secondments, one to industry (MiNAN Technologies, a microfluidic devices manufacturer in Ireland), and a second to a different university in another country (DTU, Denmark), both of which served to enhance their broader understanding of the context and value of their research. The publications and patent from this research are likely to enhance the technology transfer to industry, the commercialisation of doctoral research to the benefit of Europe’s medical devices industry, and the subsequent career progression prospects of the PhD students, consistent with other ITN projects [2].

During the lead author’s secondment, he gained first-hand insights into the practical challenges of fabricating microfluidic chips and the limitations of DLP technology in this application. Building on these insights, he developed targeted innovations, including “Spatial-Pixel Integration Compensation” method and “Sacrificial Scaffold VPP” strategy, which successfully addressed the technical barriers to directly printing high-precision, large-area microfluidic chips via DLP. These advancements significantly enhanced the precision and scalability of the developed system. The strong commercial potential of this research led to the lead author participating in some business roadshows to engage with investors and venture capital firms. These interactions provided valuable experience in bridging academic research and industrial needs, deepening his understanding of research commercialization and facilitating the transfer of innovations to industry, further supporting the career development of PhD researchers within the ITN network [1].

References:
[1] www.simppermeddev.eu
[2] Bitsion, Martone, Ricci & Arfi, F1000Research, 2023, 12:1020.

Keywords:

PhD training, structured PhD, innovative training network (ITN).