System and method of measuring cell viability and growth

A non-invasive and touch-free method of detecting and quantifying cell growth and viability comprising:

• providing a microfluidic chip containing a shear horizontal-surface acoustic wave device comprising:
• two pairs of resonators formed on a lithium tantalate substrate wherein each resonator is comprised of at least two interdigital transducers, each having at least one pair of reflecting fingers;
• at least one pH measurement electrode, at least one oxygen measurement electrode, at least one impedance measurement electrode and at least one interdigitated electrode formed on the lithium tantalate substrate;
• an oscillatory circuit system connected to the two pairs of resonators, the oscillatory circuit system comprising
• a pair of band pass filters, each filter connected to one end of each pair of resonators;
• a pair of amplifiers, each amplifier connected to an opposing end of each pair of resonators wherein the connection of each band pass filter and each amplifier to each pair of resonators forms a closed-loop system;
• an oscilloscope connected to the closed loop system by a T-connector;
• and
• a digital frequency counter connected to the closed loop system by the T-connector;
• and
• at least one Y-shaped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channel bonded to the lithium tantalate substrate wherein the at least one microfluidic channel contains an inlet access opening, an outlet access opening, at least one carbon dioxide access opening and a resealable access opening to a chamber;
• wherein each transducer is coated with a substance selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), titanium oxide (TiO2), poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(chloro-p-xylylene) (Parylene-C) and an epoxy-based negative photoresist;
• positioning a polymeric nanofibrous scaffold used to grow tumoroid cells on the lithium tantalate substrate;
• seeding the cells into the at least one Y-shaped microfluidic channel;
• applying a surface acoustic wave (SAW) to the cells;
• and
• quantifying cell concentration using the oscillatory circuit system by measuring an oscillation frequency shift caused by relative change in SAW velocity using the digital frequency counter to count relative frequency response of the cells over a period of time;
• wherein the relative frequency response of the cells over time determines the cell growth and viability.