title: High-throughput time-correlated single photon counting.
abstract: We demonstrate time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) in microfluidic droplets under high-throughput conditions. We discuss the fundamental limitations in the photon acquisition rate imposed by the single photon detection technique and show that it does not preclude accurate fluorescence lifetime (FLT) measurements at a droplet throughput exceeding 1 kHz with remarkable sensitivity. This work paves the way for the implementation of innovative biomolecular interaction assays relying on the FLT detection of nanosecond-lived fluorophores for high-throughput biotechnological applications, including high-throughput screening or cell sorting potentially allowed by droplet microfluidics or other fast sample handling facilities.
authors.affiliation: IPCMS, Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7504, F-67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France. Jeremie.Leonard@ipcms.unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Jérémie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Léonard
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Caussé
authors.forename: Sacha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maillot
authors.forename: Naya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giannakopoulou
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barre
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uhring
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis*; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017785:Photons
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes