{
  "abstract": "Advances in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology have increased the need for accessible and scalable methods that accelerate low-volume formulation screening. Here, we describe a disposable microfluidic mixer actuated by a positive-displacement pipette equipped with dual-chamber pipette tip, providing volumetric control at a fixed flow rate ratio without external microfluidic pumps. Computational fluid dynamics analysis predicted shorter micromixing times in the high-shear spiral channel than in the low-shear design. Across three benchmark lipid formulations, the high-shear mixer reproducibly generated smaller LNPs with higher mRNA encapsulation efficiency than the low-shear mixer or manual pipetting. Orthogonal characterization further revealed higher particle concentrations, structural features consistent with compact particles, more uniform mRNA loading, and a lower empty-particle fraction. LNPs prepared using the selected high-shear mixer mediated functional mRNA delivery in 2D cell cultures, a 3D human liver tissue model, and mice. Integration with a liquid-handling robot enabled automated screening of formulation parameters. Dimensionless mixing-time analysis guided enlargement of the mixer geometry for a separate production system, which produced 75 mL preparations at 150 mL/min with particle size and mRNA encapsulation efficiency comparable to those obtained with the small-scale mixer. This platform provides an accessible, automation-compatible approach to LNP formulation screening and a route to larger-scale production.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Sartorius Stedim North America Inc."
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 23,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Y. S. Takeda"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "X. Gu"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Forster"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Hou"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Hemmati"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Partopour"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Maugeri"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Kim"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Apel"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Norton"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Finelli"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Molaei"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Shafiee"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Lin"
    },
    {
      "name": "C.-w. Chiang"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Mayo"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Ayehunie"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Akbari"
    },
    {
      "name": "H.-Q. Mao"
    },
    {
      "name": "T.-H. Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "M. Dehghani"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/85ec0a9gaw1ac.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.11.06.757988",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.757988v1.full",
  "id": "85ec0a9gaw1ac",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.757988v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "bioengineering"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.757988v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-06",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/85ec0a9gaw1ac.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T00:23:31Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.11.06.757988",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.757988v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:bioengineering",
      "subfield": "systems-synthetic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "An Accessible and Scalable Pipette-Driven Microfluidic Platform for Lipid Nanoparticle Formulation",
  "title_text": "An Accessible and Scalable Pipette-Driven Microfluidic Platform for Lipid Nanoparticle Formulation",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T00:23:31Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/85ec0a9gaw1ac",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}