 Christopher J. EasleyAssistant Professor Analytical Phone: (334) 844-6967 |
Bioanalytical Chemistry: Novel microanalytical tools for studying fundamentals of glucose homeostasis and diabetes. The Easley laboratory is focused on the development of novel microanalytical techniques that allow us to perform unique experiments on biological systems. One major focus of our laboratory involves the development of microfluidic methods to study secretions from small numbers of cells in the form of intact, primary tissue. We are interested in the consequences of cellular architecture in paracrine signaling within pancreatic islets of Langerhans, the functional units of insulin secretion that help to maintain blood glucose homeostasis. Since it is now understood that adipose tissue (fat) is an active endocrine organ, we are also using microfluidics to help measure rapid secretion from primary adipocytes (fat cells). These methods should help improve our understanding of hormone secretion from adipose tissue. Debilitating conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are fundamentally linked to these types of tissue. The second major focus in our lab is to utilize DNA-antibody conjugates and DNA aptamers in cooperative sensing approaches, allowing picomolar detection limits of protein and small molecule analytes from small volumes of sample. Concurrently, we are developing cooperative methods to select DNA aptamers for high affinity and specificity in target binding. Research in our laboratory spans several scientific disciplines, from fundamental analytical chemistry to molecular and cell biology, conducted through combinations of novel and traditional techniques: microfluidics, fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, passive flow control, molecular biology, aptamer selection, and electrophoresis. Please visit our RESEARCH WEB PAGE for more details. Note: Full text access requires journal subscription. Godwin, L. A.; Deal, K. S.; Hoepfner, L. D.; Jackson, L. C.; Easley, C. J. "Measurement of Microchannel Fluidic Resistance with a Standard Voltage Meter." Anal. Chim. Acta 2012, in press. accepted version online Hu, J.; Wang, T.; Kim, J.; Shannon, C.; Easley, C. J. "Quantitation of femtomolar protein levels via direct readout with the electrochemical proximity assay." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 7066–7072. PDF Horn, D. W.; Tracy, K. P.; Easley, C. J.; Davis, V. A. "Lysozyme Dispersed Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Interaction and Activity." J. Phys. Chem. C 2012, 116, 10341–10348. PDF Deal, K. S. and Easley, C. J. "Self-Regulated, Droplet-Based Sample Chopper for Microfluidic Absorbance Detection." Analytical Chemistry 2012, 84, 1510–1516. PDF Godwin, L. A.; Pilkerton, M. E.; Deal, K. S.; Wanders, D.; Judd, R. L.; Easley, C. J. "A passively operated microfluidic device for stimulation and secretion sampling of single pancreatic islets." Analytical Chemistry, 2011, 83, 7166–7172. PDF Hu, J. and Easley, C. J. "A Simple and Rapid Approach for Measurement of Dissociation Constants of DNA Aptamers against Proteins and Small Molecules via Automated Microchip Electrophoresis." Analyst, 2011, 136, 3461-3468. PDF Kim, J. and Easley, C. J. "Isothermal DNA Amplification in Bioanalysis: Strategies and Applications." Bioanalysis, 2011, 3, 227-239. Author's PDF, Publisher's PDF Kim, J.; Hu, J.; Sollie, R. S.; Easley, C. J. "Improvement of sensitivity and dynamic range in proximity ligation assays by asymmetric connector hybridization." Analytical Chemistry, 2010, 82, 6976-6982. PDF Easley, C. J.; Rocheleau, J. V.; Head, W. S.; Piston, D. W. “Quantitative measurement of zinc secretion from single pancreatic islets with high temporal resolution using droplet-based microfluidics.” Analytical Chemistry, 2009, 81, 9086. PDF Leslie, D. C; Easley, C. J.; Seker, E.; Karlinsey, J. M.; Utz, M.; Begley, M. R.; Landers, J. P. “Frequency-specific flow control in microfluidic circuits with passive elastomeric features.” Nature Physics, 2009, 5, 231. PDF Easley, C. J.; Benninger, R. K. P.; Shaver, J. H.; Head, W. S.; Piston, D. W. “Rapid and inexpensive fabrication of polymeric microfluidic devices via toner transfer masking.” Lab on a Chip, 2009, 9, 1119-1127. PDF Mao, S.; Benninger, R. K. P.; Jackson, D.; Yan, Y.; Petchprayoon, C.; Jackson, D. K.; Easley, C. J.; Piston, D. W.; Marriott, G. “Optical lock-in detection of fluorescence resonance energy transfer using synthetic and genetically-encoded optical switches.” Biophysical Journal, 2008, 94, 4515-4524. PDF Easley, C. J.; Karlinsey, J. M.; Bienvenue, J. P.; Legendre, L. A.; Roper, M. G.; Feldman, S. H.; Hughes, M. A.; Hewlett, E. L.; Merkel, T. J.; Ferrance, J. P.; Landers, J. P. “A fully-integrated microfluidic genetic analysis system with sample in-answer out capability.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2006, 103, 19272-19277. PDF |