An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting

Menglei Zhao; Liyuan Guo; Gong Li; Haobing Liu; Rongxin Fu; Kangfu Chen; Hang Li; Shuailong Zhang

doi:10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting

Menglei Zhao
, Liyuan Guo
, Gong Li
, Haobing Liu
, Rongxin Fu
, Kangfu Chen
, Hang Li^*
, Shuailong Zhang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Beijing Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative digital microfluidic (DMF) platform that integrates functionalized micropillar arrays with a miniature mass spectrometer (mini-MS), offering a powerful and efficient system for exosome enrichment and analysis. The platform facilitates rapid and automated exosome isolation from ultratrace biological samples (1 μ L), achieving a 96% recovery rate within 20 minutes, while preserving exosome activity. Furthermore, the system enables direct molecular fingerprinting without the need for complex sample preparation or extraction processes, thereby minimizing contamination risks and sample loss. Using this approach, we successfully identified potential pancreatic cancer biomarkers, including lactate, LPC(18:1), and PC(34:1), from the enriched exosomes, demonstrating the platform's significant potential for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer research.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	167-170
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331572518
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330
Publication status	Published - 2026
Event	39th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026 - Salzburg, Austria Duration: 25 Jan 2026 → 29 Jan 2026

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
ISSN (Print)	1084-6999

Conference

Conference	39th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026
Country/Territory	Austria
City	Salzburg
Period	25/01/26 → 29/01/26

Keywords

Digital Microfluidics
Exosome
Micropillar Arrays
Miniature Mass Spectrometry
Molecular Fingerprinting

Access to Document

10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

Cite this

Zhao, M., Guo, L., Li, G., Liu, H., Fu, R., Chen, K., Li, H., & Zhang, S. (2026). An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting. In 2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026 (pp. 167-170). (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

Zhao, Menglei ; Guo, Liyuan ; Li, Gong et al. / An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting. 2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2026. pp. 167-170 (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)).

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title = "An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting",

abstract = "This paper presents an innovative digital microfluidic (DMF) platform that integrates functionalized micropillar arrays with a miniature mass spectrometer (mini-MS), offering a powerful and efficient system for exosome enrichment and analysis. The platform facilitates rapid and automated exosome isolation from ultratrace biological samples (1 μ L), achieving a 96\% recovery rate within 20 minutes, while preserving exosome activity. Furthermore, the system enables direct molecular fingerprinting without the need for complex sample preparation or extraction processes, thereby minimizing contamination risks and sample loss. Using this approach, we successfully identified potential pancreatic cancer biomarkers, including lactate, LPC(18:1), and PC(34:1), from the enriched exosomes, demonstrating the platform's significant potential for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer research.",

keywords = "Digital Microfluidics, Exosome, Micropillar Arrays, Miniature Mass Spectrometry, Molecular Fingerprinting",

author = "Menglei Zhao and Liyuan Guo and Gong Li and Haobing Liu and Rongxin Fu and Kangfu Chen and Hang Li and Shuailong Zhang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 IEEE.; 39th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026 ; Conference date: 25-01-2026 Through 29-01-2026",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

pages = "167--170",

booktitle = "2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026",

address = "United States",

}

Zhao, M, Guo, L, Li, G, Liu, H, Fu, R, Chen, K, Li, H & Zhang, S 2026, An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting. in 2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 167-170, 39th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026, Salzburg, Austria, 25/01/26. https://doi.org/10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting. / Zhao, Menglei; Guo, Liyuan; Li, Gong et al.
2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2026. p. 167-170 (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting

AU - Zhao, Menglei

AU - Guo, Liyuan

AU - Li, Gong

AU - Liu, Haobing

AU - Fu, Rongxin

AU - Chen, Kangfu

AU - Li, Hang

AU - Zhang, Shuailong

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - This paper presents an innovative digital microfluidic (DMF) platform that integrates functionalized micropillar arrays with a miniature mass spectrometer (mini-MS), offering a powerful and efficient system for exosome enrichment and analysis. The platform facilitates rapid and automated exosome isolation from ultratrace biological samples (1 μ L), achieving a 96% recovery rate within 20 minutes, while preserving exosome activity. Furthermore, the system enables direct molecular fingerprinting without the need for complex sample preparation or extraction processes, thereby minimizing contamination risks and sample loss. Using this approach, we successfully identified potential pancreatic cancer biomarkers, including lactate, LPC(18:1), and PC(34:1), from the enriched exosomes, demonstrating the platform's significant potential for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer research.

AB - This paper presents an innovative digital microfluidic (DMF) platform that integrates functionalized micropillar arrays with a miniature mass spectrometer (mini-MS), offering a powerful and efficient system for exosome enrichment and analysis. The platform facilitates rapid and automated exosome isolation from ultratrace biological samples (1 μ L), achieving a 96% recovery rate within 20 minutes, while preserving exosome activity. Furthermore, the system enables direct molecular fingerprinting without the need for complex sample preparation or extraction processes, thereby minimizing contamination risks and sample loss. Using this approach, we successfully identified potential pancreatic cancer biomarkers, including lactate, LPC(18:1), and PC(34:1), from the enriched exosomes, demonstrating the platform's significant potential for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer research.

KW - Digital Microfluidics

KW - Exosome

KW - Micropillar Arrays

KW - Miniature Mass Spectrometry

KW - Molecular Fingerprinting

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DO - 10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105041723618

T3 - Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

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BT - 2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 39th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026

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ER -

Zhao M, Guo L, Li G, Liu H, Fu R, Chen K et al. An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting. In 2026 IEEE 39th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2026. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2026. p. 167-170. (Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)). doi: 10.1109/MEMS64181.2026.11419330

An Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform with Functional Micropillar Arrays and Miniature Mass Spectrometry for Exosome Isolation and Molecular Fingerprinting

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Keywords

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