BIOGRAPHY
Shao Ning Pei received his B.S.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2009, and his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2011. He is currently working towards his Ph.D. degree.

Optoelectronic Tweezers for Long-Term Single Cell Culture [BPN733]
In contrast to bulk analysis, analyzing biological samples on a single-cell level is a powerful tool in deriving a more complete, quantitative understanding of cellular behavior. The optoelectronic tweezers (OET) platform utilizes light-generated dielectrophoretic force to manipulate micro-scale objects reconfigurably on the device surface. Consequently, OET is able to select for individual cells and manipulate them into a specific configuration where these cells are cultured and studied for an extended period of time. Compared to trap-based single-cell techniques, the OET platform provides advantages such as specific selection of an individual cell and subsequent culturing over a larger-scale area at a particular address on the surface of the device. We are looking to apply the OET platform for long- term culture of single cells and gain useful insights into topics such as rate of proliferation, differentiation, and changes in morphology and protein expression.